Al Kaline vs Pee Wee Reese: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Pee Wee Reese played 1940–1958 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 Pee Wee Reese (1940–1958) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Pee Wee Reese finished with 2,170 hits and 126 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 Pee Wee Reese's 126.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Pee Wee Reese's .743.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Pee Wee Reese's .269.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Pee Wee Reese's 2,170.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Pee Wee Reese's 885.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Pee Wee Reese's 10,057.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Al Kaline
Pee Wee Reese
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Pee Wee Reese. 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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Al Kaline | Pee Wee Reese |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,834 | 2,166 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 8,058 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,338 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,170 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 330 |
| Triples | 75 | Leads: 80 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 399 | 126 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 885 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 1,210 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 890 |
| Stolen Bases | 137 | Leads: 232 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .269 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .366 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .377 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .743 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Pee Wee Reese 45,087 to 10,057 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 629, across 22 seasons to 16. 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
Pee Wee Reese — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Pee Wee Reese owns stolen bases. 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 Pee Wee Reese careers compare
The careers of Al Kaline (1953–1974) and Pee Wee Reese (1940–1958) overlapped from 1953 to 1958, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 2,834 games against 2,166 across 22 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Pee Wee Reese comes out ahead, it is in triples (80 to 75) and stolen bases (232 to 137). At the plate, Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), and Pee Wee Reese walked more often than struck out (1,210 walks, 890 strikeouts). Al Kaline is the more power-leaning hitter, with 399 of 3,007 hits leaving the park.
Al Kaline vs Pee Wee Reese: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Pee Wee Reese?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Pee Wee Reese in 12 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Pee Wee Reese hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Pee Wee Reese's 126.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Pee Wee Reese's .743.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Pee Wee Reese's .269.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Pee Wee Reese's 2,170.