Al Kaline vs Enos Slaughter: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Enos Slaughter played 1938–1959 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 Enos Slaughter (1938–1959) — 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; Enos Slaughter finished with 2,383 hits and 169 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 Enos Slaughter's 169.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Enos Slaughter's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average? Enos Slaughter, with .300 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Enos Slaughter's 2,383.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Enos Slaughter's 1,304.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Enos Slaughter's 27,340.
- Who won more championships? Enos Slaughter, with 4 World Series titles to Al Kaline's 1.
Al Kaline
Enos Slaughter
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Enos Slaughter. 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 | Enos Slaughter |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,834 | 2,380 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 7,946 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,247 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,383 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 413 |
| Triples | 75 | Leads: 148 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 399 | 169 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,304 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 1,018 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 538 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 71 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .300 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .382 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .453 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .834 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Enos Slaughter 45,087 to 27,340 — driven by per-season impact — 2,049 PIV per season to 1,243 — rather than by longevity, since Al Kaline played 22 seasons to Enos Slaughter'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
Enos Slaughter — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Enos Slaughter owns batting average 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 Enos Slaughter careers compare
From 1953 through 1959, Al Kaline and Enos Slaughter were in the majors together. With 2,834 games against 2,380 across 22 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Enos Slaughter's edges on the table are triples (148 to 75), batting average (.300 to .297), and on-base percentage (.382 to .376). Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts); Enos Slaughter walked more often than struck out (1,018 walks, 538 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Al Kaline's hits: 399 of 3,007 for Al Kaline, 169 of 2,383 for Enos Slaughter.
Al Kaline vs Enos Slaughter: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Enos Slaughter?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Enos Slaughter in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Enos Slaughter hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Enos Slaughter's 169.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Enos Slaughter's .834.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Enos Slaughter, with .300 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Enos Slaughter's 2,383.