Reggie Jackson vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 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
Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — they broke in during the 1960s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 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? Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Al Kaline's 1,583.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Reggie Jackson's 41,801.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to Al Kaline's 1.
Reggie Jackson
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Jackson 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 | Reggie Jackson | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,820 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 9,864 | Leads: 10,116 |
| Runs | 1,551 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 2,584 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 463 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | 49 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 563 | 399 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,702 | 1,583 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,375 | 1,277 |
| Strikeouts | 2,597 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 228 | 137 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .490 | .480 |
| OPS | .846 | Leads: .855 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline edges Reggie Jackson 45,087 to 41,801 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,049 vs 1,991 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).
Reggie Jackson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, runs, batting average, and OBP, while Reggie Jackson owns home runs, RBI, and stolen bases. 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
Reggie Jackson vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Jackson or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Reggie Jackson in 9 of 14 categories.
- Did Reggie Jackson or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Reggie Jackson's .846.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.