Carlton Fisk vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 14 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Carlton Fisk played 1969–1993 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
Carlton Fisk (1969–1993) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Carlton Fisk finished with 2,356 hits and 376 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 Carlton Fisk's 376.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Carlton Fisk's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Carlton Fisk's .269.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Carlton Fisk's 2,356.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Carlton Fisk's 1,330.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Carlton Fisk's 21,513.
- Who won more championships? Al Kaline, with 1 World Series title to Carlton Fisk's 0.
Carlton Fisk
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Carlton Fisk 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 1960s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carlton Fisk | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,499 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 8,756 | Leads: 10,116 |
| Runs | 1,276 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 2,356 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 421 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | 47 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 376 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 1,330 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 849 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,386 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 128 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | .269 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .341 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .457 | Leads: .480 |
| OPS | .797 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Carlton Fisk 45,087 to 21,513 — driven by per-season impact — 2,049 PIV per season to 896 — rather than by longevity, since Al Kaline played 22 seasons to Carlton Fisk's 24. 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).
Carlton Fisk — 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 Carlton Fisk owns no headline categories. 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 Carlton Fisk and Al Kaline careers compare
Carlton Fisk and Al Kaline were active at the same time between 1969 and 1974. The two careers are close in length, 2,499 games for Carlton Fisk and 2,834 for Al Kaline across 24 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Al Kaline leads every scored row of the table. At the plate, Carlton Fisk struck out more than walked (1,386 to 849), while Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). On the bases, Carlton Fisk stole more often per game played (128 steals in 2,499 games for Carlton Fisk, 137 in 2,834 for Al Kaline).
Carlton Fisk vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carlton Fisk or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Carlton Fisk in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Carlton Fisk or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Carlton Fisk's 376.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Carlton Fisk's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Carlton Fisk's .269.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Carlton Fisk's 2,356.