Al Kaline vs Eddie Mathews: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Al Kaline played 1953–1974 as a hitter; Eddie Mathews played 1952–1968 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
Al Kaline (1953–1974) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) — both broke in during the 1950s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Eddie Mathews finished with 2,315 hits and 512 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Eddie Mathews's 1,453.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Eddie Mathews, with 45,555 career PIV to Al Kaline's 45,087.
- Who won more championships? Eddie Mathews, with 2 World Series titles to Al Kaline's 1.
Al Kaline
Eddie Mathews
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Eddie Mathews. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Al Kaline | Eddie Mathews |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,834 | 2,391 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 8,537 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,509 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,315 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 354 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 72 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 512 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,453 |
| Walks | 1,277 | Leads: 1,444 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 1,487 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 68 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .271 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .376 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .509 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: .885 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eddie Mathews edges Al Kaline 45,555 to 45,087 — driven by per-season impact — 2,531 PIV per season to 2,049 — rather than by longevity, since Eddie Mathews played 18 seasons to Al Kaline's 22. 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).
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Eddie Mathews — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Eddie Mathews owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Al Kaline. Note that PIV actually grades Eddie Mathews ahead, which means Al Kaline's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Al Kaline and Eddie Mathews careers compare
The careers of Al Kaline (1953–1974) and Eddie Mathews (1952–1968) overlapped from 1953 to 1968, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,834 games against 2,391 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), but Eddie Mathews struck out more than walked (1,487 to 1,444). Eddie Mathews is the more power-leaning hitter, with 512 of 2,315 hits leaving the park. Al Kaline was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Eddie Mathews's slugging percentage of .509 tops Al Kaline's .480.
Al Kaline vs Eddie Mathews: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Eddie Mathews?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Eddie Mathews in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Eddie Mathews hit more home runs?
- Eddie Mathews, with 512 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Eddie Mathews, with .885 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Eddie Mathews's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Eddie Mathews's 2,315.