Larry Doby vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Larry Doby played 1947–1959 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
Larry Doby (1947–1959) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — they debuted in the 1940s and the 1950s respectively and share 7 seasons. Larry Doby finished with 1,697 hits and 273 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 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Al Kaline, with 399 to Larry Doby's 273.
- Who had the higher OPS? Larry Doby, with .888 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Larry Doby's .288.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Larry Doby's 1,697.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Larry Doby's 1,093.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Larry Doby's 28,857.
Larry Doby
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Larry Doby 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 | Larry Doby | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,674 | 2,834 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,883 | 10,116 |
| Runs | 1,080 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 1,697 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 277 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | 72 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 273 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 1,093 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 945 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,012 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 64 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .389 | .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .499 | .480 |
| OPS | Leads: .888 | .855 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Larry Doby 45,087 to 28,857 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 1,697, across 22 seasons to 17. 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).
Larry Doby — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Al Kaline leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Larry Doby leads 3: on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. 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 Larry Doby and Al Kaline careers compare
Larry Doby and Al Kaline were active at the same time between 1953 and 1959. The table compares 1,674 games of Larry Doby with 2,834 of Al Kaline across 17 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Larry Doby comes out ahead, it is in on-base percentage (.389 to .376), slugging percentage (.499 to .480), and OPS (.888 to .855). At the plate, Larry Doby struck out more than walked (1,012 to 945), while Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). Al Kaline was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Larry Doby holds the edge, .499 to .480.
Larry Doby vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Doby or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Larry Doby in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Larry Doby or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Larry Doby's 273.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Larry Doby, with .888 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Larry Doby's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Larry Doby's 1,697.