Richie Ashburn vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Richie Ashburn played 1948–1962 as a hitter; Al Kaline played 1953–1974 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Richie Ashburn (1948–1962) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — they broke in during the 1940s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Richie Ashburn finished with 2,574 hits and 29 home runs; Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Al Kaline, with 399 to Richie Ashburn's 29.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Richie Ashburn's .778.
- Who had the higher batting average? Richie Ashburn, with .308 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Richie Ashburn's 2,574.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Richie Ashburn's 586.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Richie Ashburn's 18,707.
- Who won more championships? Al Kaline, with 1 World Series title to Richie Ashburn's 0.
Richie Ashburn
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Richie Ashburn and Al Kaline. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1940s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Richie Ashburn | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,189 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 8,365 | Leads: 10,116 |
| Runs | 1,322 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 2,574 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 317 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | Leads: 109 | 75 |
| Home Runs | 29 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 586 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 1,198 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 571 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 234 | 137 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .308 | .297 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .396 | .376 |
| Slugging % | .382 | Leads: .480 |
| OPS | .778 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Richie Ashburn 45,087 to 18,707 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 1,247, across 22 seasons to 15. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Richie Ashburn — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Richie Ashburn owns stolen bases, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Kaline. PIV agrees: Al Kaline grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Richie Ashburn and Al Kaline careers compare
Richie Ashburn and Al Kaline were active at the same time between 1953 and 1962. With 2,189 games against 2,834 across 15 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Richie Ashburn comes out ahead, it is in triples (109 to 75), stolen bases (234 to 137), and batting average (.308 to .297). Richie Ashburn walked more often than struck out (1,198 walks, 571 strikeouts); Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Al Kaline's hits: 29 of 2,574 for Richie Ashburn, 399 of 3,007 for Al Kaline.
Richie Ashburn vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Richie Ashburn or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Richie Ashburn in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Richie Ashburn or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Richie Ashburn's 29.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Richie Ashburn's .778.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Richie Ashburn, with .308 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Richie Ashburn's 2,574.