Joe DiMaggio vs Ralph Kiner: Career Stats Comparison
Joe DiMaggio has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Ralph Kiner played 1946–1955 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 Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe DiMaggio finished with 2,214 hits and 361 home runs; Ralph Kiner finished with 1,451 hits and 369 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ralph Kiner, with 369 to Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Ralph Kiner's .946.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits? Joe DiMaggio, with 2,214 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe DiMaggio, with 1,537 to Ralph Kiner's 1,015.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe DiMaggio, with 47,427 career PIV to Ralph Kiner's 35,424.
- Who won more championships? Joe DiMaggio, with 9 World Series titles to Ralph Kiner's 0.
Joe DiMaggio
Ralph Kiner
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe DiMaggio and Ralph Kiner. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe DiMaggio | Ralph Kiner |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,736 | 1,472 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,821 | 5,205 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,390 | 971 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,214 | 1,451 |
| Doubles | Leads: 389 | 216 |
| Triples | Leads: 131 | 39 |
| Home Runs | 361 | Leads: 369 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,537 | 1,015 |
| Walks | 790 | Leads: 1,011 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 369 | 749 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 30 | 22 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .325 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .398 | .398 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .579 | .548 |
| OPS | Leads: .977 | .946 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe DiMaggio outpaces Ralph Kiner 47,427 to 35,424 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,648 PIV per season to 3,220, across 13 seasons to 11. 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
Ralph Kiner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe DiMaggio leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Ralph Kiner owns home runs. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe DiMaggio. PIV agrees: Joe DiMaggio grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe DiMaggio and Ralph Kiner careers compare
Joe DiMaggio and Ralph Kiner were active at the same time between 1946 and 1951. The two careers are close in length, 1,736 games for Joe DiMaggio and 1,472 for Ralph Kiner across 13 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Ralph Kiner comes out ahead, it is in home runs (369 to 361) and walks (1,011 to 790). At the plate, Joe DiMaggio walked more often than struck out (790 walks, 369 strikeouts), and Ralph Kiner walked more often than struck out (1,011 walks, 749 strikeouts). Ralph Kiner is the more power-leaning hitter, with 369 of 1,451 hits leaving the park.
Joe DiMaggio vs Ralph Kiner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe DiMaggio or Ralph Kiner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe DiMaggio leads Ralph Kiner in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe DiMaggio or Ralph Kiner hit more home runs?
- Ralph Kiner, with 369 to Joe DiMaggio's 361.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .977 to Ralph Kiner's .946.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe DiMaggio, with .325 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe DiMaggio, with 2,214 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.