Joe DiMaggio vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline 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). Joe DiMaggio played 1936–1951 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
Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe DiMaggio finished with 2,214 hits and 361 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 Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Joe DiMaggio's 1,537.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe DiMaggio, with 47,427 career PIV to Al Kaline's 45,087.
- Who won more championships? Joe DiMaggio, with 9 World Series titles to Al Kaline's 1.
Joe DiMaggio
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe DiMaggio 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 1930s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe DiMaggio | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,736 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 6,821 | Leads: 10,116 |
| Runs | 1,390 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 2,214 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 389 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | Leads: 131 | 75 |
| Home Runs | 361 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 1,537 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 790 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 369 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 30 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .297 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .579 | .480 |
| OPS | Leads: .977 | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe DiMaggio edges Al Kaline 47,427 to 45,087 — driven by per-season impact — 3,648 PIV per season to 2,049 — rather than by longevity, since Joe DiMaggio played 13 seasons to Al Kaline's 22. 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).
Joe DiMaggio — 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 Joe DiMaggio owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Kaline. Note that PIV actually grades Joe DiMaggio ahead, which means Al Kaline's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe DiMaggio and Al Kaline careers compare
Joe DiMaggio (1936–1951) was finished before Al Kaline (1953–1974) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 1,736 games of Joe DiMaggio with 2,834 of Al Kaline across 13 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. At the plate, Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts), and Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). On the bases, Al Kaline stole more often per game played (30 steals in 1,736 games for Joe DiMaggio, 137 in 2,834 for Al Kaline). In slugging percentage, Joe DiMaggio holds the edge, .579 to .480.
Joe DiMaggio vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe DiMaggio or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Joe DiMaggio in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe DiMaggio or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Joe DiMaggio's 2,214.