Roberto Clemente vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roberto Clemente played 1955–1972 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
Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — both debuted in the 1950s. Roberto Clemente finished with 3,000 hits and 240 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 leads the career comparison? Al Kaline, in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Al Kaline, with 399 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Roberto Clemente's 1,305.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Roberto Clemente's 34,131.
Roberto Clemente
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Roberto Clemente and Al Kaline. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roberto Clemente | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,433 | 2,834 |
| At-Bats not scored | 9,454 | 10,116 |
| Runs | 1,416 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 3,000 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 440 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | Leads: 166 | 75 |
| Home Runs | 240 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 1,305 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 621 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,230 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 83 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .317 | .297 |
| On-Base % | .359 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .475 | Leads: .480 |
| OPS | .834 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline leads Roberto Clemente 45,087 to 34,131 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 1,896, across 22 seasons to 18. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Roberto Clemente — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Al Kaline leads 10 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Roberto Clemente leads 2: triples and batting average. 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 Roberto Clemente and Al Kaline careers compare
Roberto Clemente and Al Kaline were active at the same time between 1955 and 1972. With 2,433 games against 2,834 across 18 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Roberto Clemente comes out ahead, it is in triples (166 to 75) and batting average (.317 to .297). Plate discipline differs: Roberto Clemente struck out more than walked (1,230 to 621), but 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: 240 of 3,000 for Roberto Clemente, 399 of 3,007 for Al Kaline. Al Kaline was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Roberto Clemente vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roberto Clemente or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Roberto Clemente in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Roberto Clemente or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Roberto Clemente's 240.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Roberto Clemente's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Roberto Clemente, with .317 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Roberto Clemente's 3,000.