Andre Dawson vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Andre Dawson played 1976–1996 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
Andre Dawson (1976–1996) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — they broke in during the 1970s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Andre Dawson finished with 2,774 hits and 438 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? Andre Dawson, with 438 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.
- Who drove in more runs? Andre Dawson, with 1,591 to Al Kaline's 1,583.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Andre Dawson's 20,948.
- Who won more championships? Al Kaline, with 1 World Series title to Andre Dawson's 0.
Andre Dawson
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Andre Dawson 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 | Andre Dawson | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,627 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 9,927 | Leads: 10,116 |
| Runs | 1,373 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 2,774 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | Leads: 503 | 498 |
| Triples | Leads: 98 | 75 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 438 | 399 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,591 | 1,583 |
| Walks | 589 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,509 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 314 | 137 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .323 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .482 | .480 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Andre Dawson 45,087 to 20,948 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 998, 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).
Andre Dawson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Andre Dawson owns home runs, RBI, and stolen bases. 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 Andre Dawson and Al Kaline careers compare
Al Kaline (1953–1974) was finished before Andre Dawson (1976–1996) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 2,627 games against 2,834 across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Andre Dawson struck out more than walked (1,509 to 589), but Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). On the bases, Andre Dawson stole more often per game played (314 steals in 2,627 games for Andre Dawson, 137 in 2,834 for Al Kaline). Andre Dawson's slugging percentage of .482 tops Al Kaline's .480.
Andre Dawson vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andre Dawson or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Andre Dawson in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Andre Dawson or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Andre Dawson, with 438 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Andre Dawson's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Andre Dawson's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Andre Dawson's 2,774.