Al Kaline vs Willie Mays: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Mays has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Al Kaline played 1953–1974 as a hitter; Willie Mays played 1951–1973 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 Willie Mays (1951–1973) — both debuted in the 1950s. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Willie Mays finished with 3,293 hits and 660 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Willie Mays, in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Mays, with 660 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Mays, with .940 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Willie Mays, with .301 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits? Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Al Kaline's 3,007.
- Who drove in more runs? Willie Mays, with 1,909 to Al Kaline's 1,583.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Willie Mays, with 74,062 career PIV to Al Kaline's 45,087.
Al Kaline
Willie Mays
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Willie Mays. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. 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 | Willie Mays |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,834 | 3,005 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,116 | 10,924 |
| Runs | 1,622 | Leads: 2,068 |
| Hits | 3,007 | Leads: 3,293 |
| Doubles | 498 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | 75 | Leads: 141 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 660 |
| RBI | 1,583 | Leads: 1,909 |
| Walks | 1,277 | Leads: 1,468 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 1,526 |
| Stolen Bases | 137 | Leads: 339 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .301 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .384 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .557 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: .940 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Mays outpaces Al Kaline 74,062 to 45,087 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,220 PIV per season to 2,049, across 23 seasons to 22. 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).
Al Kaline — top 3 seasons by OPS
Willie Mays — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Willie Mays leads 12 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Al Kaline leads 0: no scored category. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Mays. PIV agrees: Willie Mays grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Al Kaline and Willie Mays careers compare
The careers of Al Kaline (1953–1974) and Willie Mays (1951–1973) overlapped from 1953 to 1973, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,834 games against 3,005 across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Willie Mays. At the plate, Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), while Willie Mays struck out more than walked (1,526 to 1,468). Willie Mays is the more power-leaning hitter, with 660 of 3,293 hits leaving the park. Willie Mays was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Al Kaline vs Willie Mays: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Willie Mays?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Mays leads Al Kaline in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Willie Mays hit more home runs?
- Willie Mays, with 660 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Mays, with .940 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Willie Mays, with .301 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Willie Mays, with 3,293 to Al Kaline's 3,007.