Aaron Judge vs Al Kaline: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Aaron Judge has played 2016–present 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
Aaron Judge (2016–present) and Al Kaline (1953–1974) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Aaron Judge has 1,262 hits and 386 home runs through October 12, 2026; 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 Aaron Judge's 386.
- Who had the higher OPS? Aaron Judge, with 1.020 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Aaron Judge's .291.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Aaron Judge's 1,262.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Aaron Judge's 871.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Aaron Judge's 37,037.
- Who won more championships? Al Kaline, with 1 World Series title to Aaron Judge's 0.
Aaron Judge
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Aaron Judge 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 2010s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Aaron Judge is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Aaron Judge | Al Kaline |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,211 | Leads: 2,834 |
| At-Bats | 4,342 | Leads: 10,116 |
| Runs | 918 | Leads: 1,622 |
| Hits | 1,262 | Leads: 3,007 |
| Doubles | 213 | Leads: 498 |
| Triples | 7 | Leads: 75 |
| Home Runs | 386 | Leads: 399 |
| RBI | 871 | Leads: 1,583 |
| Walks | 860 | Leads: 1,277 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,454 | 1,020 |
| Stolen Bases | 70 | Leads: 137 |
| Batting Avg | .291 | Leads: .297 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .410 | .376 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .610 | .480 |
| OPS | Leads: 1.020 | .855 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline leads Aaron Judge 45,087 to 37,037 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Al Kaline played 22 seasons to Aaron Judge's 10, while Aaron Judge carries the higher per-season figure (3,704 to 2,049). 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).
Aaron Judge — 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 Aaron Judge 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
How the Aaron Judge and Al Kaline careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Al Kaline's ended in 1974, and Aaron Judge debuted in 2016. The table compares 1,211 games of Aaron Judge with 2,834 of Al Kaline across 10 and 22 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Aaron Judge are on-base percentage (.410 to .376), slugging percentage (.610 to .480), and OPS (1.020 to .855). Plate discipline differs: Aaron Judge struck out more than walked (1,454 to 860), but Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Aaron Judge's hits: 386 of 1,262 for Aaron Judge, 399 of 3,007 for Al Kaline. Because Aaron Judge is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Aaron Judge vs Al Kaline: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Aaron Judge or Al Kaline?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Aaron Judge in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Aaron Judge or Al Kaline hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Aaron Judge's 386.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Aaron Judge, with 1.020 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Aaron Judge's .291.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Aaron Judge's 1,262.