Al Kaline vs Duke Snider: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Al Kaline played 1953–1974 as a hitter; Duke Snider played 1947–1964 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 Duke Snider (1947–1964) — 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; Duke Snider finished with 2,116 hits and 407 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Duke Snider, with 407 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Duke Snider, with .919 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Duke Snider's .295.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Duke Snider's 2,116.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Duke Snider's 1,333.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Duke Snider's 39,968.
- Who won more championships? Duke Snider, with 2 World Series titles to Al Kaline's 1.
Al Kaline
Duke Snider
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Duke Snider. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Al Kaline | Duke Snider |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,834 | 2,143 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 7,161 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,259 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,116 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 358 |
| Triples | 75 | Leads: 85 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 407 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,333 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 971 |
| Strikeouts | 1,020 | 1,237 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 99 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .295 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .380 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .540 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: .919 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline leads Duke Snider 45,087 to 39,968 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,049 vs 2,220 per year). 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
Duke Snider — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Duke Snider owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. 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
Al Kaline vs Duke Snider: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Duke Snider?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Duke Snider in 9 of 14 categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Duke Snider hit more home runs?
- Duke Snider, with 407 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Duke Snider, with .919 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Duke Snider's .295.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Duke Snider's 2,116.