Al Kaline vs Graig Nettles: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 14 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; Graig Nettles played 1967–1988 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 Graig Nettles (1967–1988) — 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; Graig Nettles finished with 2,225 hits and 390 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 Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Graig Nettles's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Graig Nettles's 12,470.
- Who won more championships? Graig Nettles, with 2 World Series titles to Al Kaline's 1.
Al Kaline
Graig Nettles
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Graig Nettles. 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 | Graig Nettles |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,834 | 2,700 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 8,986 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,193 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,225 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 328 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 28 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 399 | 390 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,314 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 1,088 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 1,209 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 32 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .248 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .329 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .421 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .750 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Graig Nettles 45,087 to 12,470 — driven by per-season impact — 2,049 PIV per season to 567 — rather than by longevity, since Al Kaline played 22 seasons to Graig Nettles'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
Graig Nettles — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Graig Nettles owns no headline categories. 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 Graig Nettles careers compare
From 1967 through 1974, Al Kaline and Graig Nettles were in the majors together. With 2,834 games against 2,700 across 22 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Al Kaline. Plate discipline differs: Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), but Graig Nettles struck out more than walked (1,209 to 1,088). Graig Nettles is the more power-leaning hitter, with 390 of 2,225 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Al Kaline stole more often per game played (137 steals in 2,834 games for Al Kaline, 32 in 2,700 for Graig Nettles).
Al Kaline vs Graig Nettles: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Graig Nettles?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Graig Nettles in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Graig Nettles hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Graig Nettles's 390.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Graig Nettles's .750.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Graig Nettles's .248.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Graig Nettles's 2,225.