Jim Bunning vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning and Al Kaline played different roles, so their careers are compared side by side rather than scored against each other. Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 as a pitcher; 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
Jim Bunning (1955–1971) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) played opposite sides of the ball, so there is no honest category-by-category scoreboard for this matchup. Jim Bunning pitched, totalling 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Al Kaline hit, totalling 3,007 hits and 399 home runs. Each career is shown below in its own discipline, with PIV as the one measure that spans both roles.
Quick answer
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Jim Bunning's 44,929.
- Who won more championships? Al Kaline, with 1 World Series title to Jim Bunning's 0.
Jim Bunning
Al Kaline
Career Stats, Each in His Own Role
Jim Bunning is shown on pitching lines and Al Kaline on batting lines. Nothing is marked as a category winner, because these two cards measure different jobs — reading them cell against cell would tell you nothing.
Jim Bunning — Pitcher
| Statistic | Jim Bunning |
|---|---|
| Wins | 224 |
| Losses | 184 |
| Games | 591 |
| Games Started | 519 |
| Complete Games | 151 |
| Shutouts | 40 |
| Saves | 16 |
| Strikeouts | 2,855 |
| Walks | 1,000 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,760.1 |
| ERA | 3.27 |
| WHIP | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 6.83 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 |
Al Kaline — Hitter
| Statistic | Al Kaline |
|---|---|
| Games | 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 10,116 |
| Runs | 1,622 |
| Hits | 3,007 |
| Doubles | 498 |
| Triples | 75 |
| Home Runs | 399 |
| RBI | 1,583 |
| Walks | 1,277 |
| Strikeouts | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 137 |
| Batting Avg | .297 |
| On-Base % | .376 |
| Slugging % | .480 |
| OPS | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
Jim Bunning carries a career pitching PIV of 44,929; Al Kaline carries a career batting PIV of 45,087. Al Kaline is the higher of the two at 45,087 to 44,929. Both figures adjust each season to league baselines, but batting PIV and pitching PIV are calibrated separately — so read this as a directional comparison of career impact, not a settled verdict.
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 within his own role — ERA for the pitcher (120+ innings), OPS for the hitter (300+ at-bats).
Jim Bunning — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
There is no head-to-head scoreboard for Jim Bunning and Al Kaline: one pitched and one hit, and no counting stat means the same thing on both cards. On PIV — the one metric that scores both roles against league baselines — Al Kaline grades higher, 45,087 to 44,929. Because the batting and pitching versions of PIV are calibrated separately, that gap is a directional signal about career impact rather than a ruling on who was the better ballplayer. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Bunning and Al Kaline careers compare
From 1955 through 1971, Jim Bunning and Al Kaline were in the majors together. As a pitcher, Jim Bunning went 224-184 with a 3.27 ERA and 2,855 strikeouts. As a hitter, Al Kaline collected 3,007 hits and 399 home runs with a .855 OPS. No single table can grade a pitcher against a hitter, so each career is shown in its own discipline, with PIV as the common scale. Their best seasons are measured differently, 2.29 ERA in 1967 for Jim Bunning and .969 OPS in 1962 for Al Kaline.
Jim Bunning vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who has the higher career PIV?
- Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Jim Bunning's 44,929.
- Who won more championships?
- Al Kaline, with 1 World Series title to Jim Bunning's 0.
- How do Jim Bunning and Al Kaline compare?
- Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 and Al Kaline played 1953–1974; this page sets their career totals side by side in every category both accumulated.