Cody Bellinger vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cody Bellinger has played 2017–present 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
Cody Bellinger (2017–present) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Cody Bellinger has 1,233 hits and 242 home runs through October 12, 2026; 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 Cody Bellinger's 242.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Cody Bellinger's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Cody Bellinger's .261.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Cody Bellinger's 1,233.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Cody Bellinger's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Cody Bellinger's 10,298.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Cody Bellinger
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cody Bellinger 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 2010s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Cody Bellinger is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Cody Bellinger | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,289 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 4,726 | Leads: 10,116 |
| Runs | 763 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 1,233 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 236 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | 31 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 242 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 768 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 528 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,046 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 116 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .334 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .478 | Leads: .480 |
| OPS | .812 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Cody Bellinger 45,087 to 10,298 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 1,144, across 22 seasons to 9. 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).
Cody Bellinger — 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 Cody Bellinger owns no headline categories. 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 Cody Bellinger and Al Kaline careers compare
No season is shared: Al Kaline played 1953–1974, Cody Bellinger 2017–present. The table compares 1,289 games of Cody Bellinger with 2,834 of Al Kaline across 9 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Al Kaline leads every scored row of the table. At the plate, Cody Bellinger struck out more than walked (1,046 to 528), while Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). Cody Bellinger is the more power-leaning hitter, with 242 of 1,233 hits leaving the park. Cody Bellinger was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Al Kaline holds the edge, .480 to .478. Because Cody Bellinger is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Cody Bellinger vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cody Bellinger or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Cody Bellinger in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cody Bellinger or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Cody Bellinger's 242.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Cody Bellinger's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Cody Bellinger's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Cody Bellinger's 1,233.