Al Kaline vs Joe Medwick: 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; Joe Medwick played 1932–1948 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 Joe Medwick (1932–1948) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Joe Medwick finished with 2,471 hits and 205 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 Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Medwick, with .867 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Medwick, with .324 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Joe Medwick's 2,471.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Joe Medwick's 1,383.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Joe Medwick's 28,897.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Al Kaline
Joe Medwick
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Joe Medwick. 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 1950s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Al Kaline | Joe Medwick |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,834 | 1,984 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 7,635 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,198 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,471 |
| Doubles | 498 | Leads: 540 |
| Triples | 75 | Leads: 113 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 399 | 205 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,383 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 437 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 551 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 42 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .324 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .362 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .505 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: .867 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Joe Medwick 45,087 to 28,897 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 1,445, across 22 seasons to 20. 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
Joe Medwick — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joe Medwick owns batting average 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 Al Kaline and Joe Medwick careers compare
No season is shared: Joe Medwick played 1932–1948, Al Kaline 1953–1974. The two careers are close in length, 2,834 games for Al Kaline and 1,984 for Joe Medwick across 22 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Plate discipline differs: Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), but Joe Medwick struck out more than walked (551 to 437). Al Kaline is the more power-leaning hitter, with 399 of 3,007 hits leaving the park. Al Kaline was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Joe Medwick holds the edge, .505 to .480.
Al Kaline vs Joe Medwick: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Joe Medwick?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Joe Medwick in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Joe Medwick hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Joe Medwick's 205.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Medwick, with .867 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Medwick, with .324 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Joe Medwick's 2,471.