Al Kaline vs Pete Rose: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Rose has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Pete Rose played 1963–1986 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 Pete Rose (1963–1986) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 12 seasons. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Pete Rose finished with 4,256 hits and 160 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Pete Rose, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Al Kaline, with 399 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pete Rose, with .303 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits? Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Al Kaline's 3,007.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Pete Rose's 1,314.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Pete Rose's 40,772.
Al Kaline
Pete Rose
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Pete Rose. 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 | Pete Rose |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,834 | 3,562 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,116 | 14,053 |
| Runs | 1,622 | Leads: 2,165 |
| Hits | 3,007 | Leads: 4,256 |
| Doubles | 498 | Leads: 746 |
| Triples | 75 | Leads: 135 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 399 | 160 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,314 |
| Walks | 1,277 | Leads: 1,566 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 1,143 |
| Stolen Bases | 137 | Leads: 198 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .303 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .375 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .409 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .784 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline leads Pete Rose 45,087 to 40,772 — driven by per-season impact — 2,049 PIV per season to 1,699 — rather than by longevity, since Al Kaline played 22 seasons to Pete Rose's 24. 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
Pete Rose — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Pete Rose leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Al Kaline leads 5: home runs, RBI, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Rose. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Al Kaline higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Al Kaline and Pete Rose careers compare
From 1963 through 1974, Al Kaline and Pete Rose were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,834 games for Al Kaline and 3,562 for Pete Rose across 22 and 24 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts); Pete Rose walked more often than struck out (1,566 walks, 1,143 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Al Kaline's hits: 399 of 3,007 for Al Kaline, 160 of 4,256 for Pete Rose. Pete Rose was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Al Kaline holds the edge, .480 to .409.
Al Kaline vs Pete Rose: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Pete Rose?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Rose leads Al Kaline in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Pete Rose hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Pete Rose's 160.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Pete Rose's .784.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pete Rose, with .303 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Pete Rose, with 4,256 to Al Kaline's 3,007.