Al Kaline vs Joe Morgan: 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 Morgan played 1963–1984 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 Morgan (1963–1984) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Joe Morgan finished with 2,517 hits and 268 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 Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Joe Morgan's 1,133.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Joe Morgan's 39,255.
- Who won more championships? Joe Morgan, with 2 World Series titles to Al Kaline's 1.
Al Kaline
Joe Morgan
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Joe Morgan. 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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Al Kaline | Joe Morgan |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,834 | 2,649 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 9,277 |
| Runs | 1,622 | Leads: 1,650 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,517 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 449 |
| Triples | 75 | Leads: 96 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 399 | 268 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,133 |
| Walks | 1,277 | Leads: 1,865 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 1,015 |
| Stolen Bases | 137 | Leads: 689 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .271 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .392 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .427 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .819 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline leads Joe Morgan 45,087 to 39,255 — driven by per-season impact — 2,049 PIV per season to 1,784 — rather than by longevity, since Al Kaline played 22 seasons to Joe Morgan'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
Joe Morgan — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and batting average, while Joe Morgan owns runs, stolen bases, and OBP. 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 Morgan careers compare
Al Kaline and Joe Morgan were active at the same time between 1963 and 1974. With 2,834 games against 2,649 across 22 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. At the plate, Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), and Joe Morgan walked more often than struck out (1,865 walks, 1,015 strikeouts). On the bases, Joe Morgan stole more often per game played (137 steals in 2,834 games for Al Kaline, 689 in 2,649 for Joe Morgan). Al Kaline's slugging percentage of .480 tops Joe Morgan's .427.
Al Kaline vs Joe Morgan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Joe Morgan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Joe Morgan in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Joe Morgan hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Joe Morgan's 268.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Joe Morgan's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Joe Morgan's .271.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Joe Morgan's 2,517.