Larry Doby vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. 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 broke in during the 1940s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. 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 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.
- Who won more championships? Larry Doby, with 2 World Series titles to Al Kaline's 1.
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. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Larry Doby | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,674 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 5,883 | Leads: 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 | 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,049 vs 1,519 per year). 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
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Larry Doby owns OBP and OPS. 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
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 11 of 14 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.