George Brett vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
George Brett has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). George Brett played 1973–1993 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
George Brett (1973–1993) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. George Brett finished with 3,154 hits and 317 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 George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS? George Brett, with .857 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? George Brett, with .305 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits? George Brett, with 3,154 to Al Kaline's 3,007.
- Who drove in more runs? George Brett, with 1,596 to Al Kaline's 1,583.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to George Brett's 41,511.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
George Brett
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for George Brett 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 1970s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | George Brett | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,707 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,349 | 10,116 |
| Runs | 1,583 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,154 | 3,007 |
| Doubles | Leads: 665 | 498 |
| Triples | Leads: 137 | 75 |
| Home Runs | 317 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,596 | 1,583 |
| Walks | 1,096 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 908 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 201 | 137 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .305 | .297 |
| On-Base % | .369 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .487 | .480 |
| OPS | Leads: .857 | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline edges George Brett 45,087 to 41,511 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 1,977, across 22 seasons to 21. 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).
George Brett — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, George Brett leads in hits, RBI, stolen bases, and batting average, while Al Kaline owns home runs, runs, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to George Brett. Note that PIV actually grades Al Kaline ahead, which means George Brett's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the George Brett and Al Kaline careers compare
George Brett and Al Kaline were active at the same time between 1973 and 1974. The two careers are close in length, 2,707 games for George Brett and 2,834 for Al Kaline across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. George Brett walked more often than struck out (1,096 walks, 908 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: 317 of 3,154 for George Brett, 399 of 3,007 for Al Kaline.
George Brett vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, George Brett or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, George Brett leads Al Kaline in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did George Brett or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to George Brett's 317.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- George Brett, with .857 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- George Brett, with .305 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- George Brett, with 3,154 to Al Kaline's 3,007.