Al Kaline vs Alfonso Soriano: 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; Alfonso Soriano played 1999–2014 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 Alfonso Soriano (1999–2014) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Alfonso Soriano finished with 2,095 hits and 412 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Alfonso Soriano, with 412 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Alfonso Soriano's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Alfonso Soriano's .270.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Alfonso Soriano's 2,095.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Alfonso Soriano's 1,159.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Alfonso Soriano's 13,727.
- Who won more championships? Alfonso Soriano, with 2 World Series titles to Al Kaline's 1.
Al Kaline
Alfonso Soriano
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Alfonso Soriano. 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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Al Kaline | Alfonso Soriano |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,834 | 1,975 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 7,750 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,152 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,095 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 481 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 31 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 412 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,159 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 496 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 1,803 |
| Stolen Bases | 137 | Leads: 289 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .270 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .319 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .500 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .819 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Alfonso Soriano 45,087 to 13,727 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 807, across 22 seasons to 17. 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
Alfonso Soriano — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, RBI, runs, and batting average, while Alfonso Soriano owns home runs and 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 Alfonso Soriano careers compare
No season is shared: Al Kaline played 1953–1974, Alfonso Soriano 1999–2014. With 2,834 games against 1,975 across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Alfonso Soriano's edges on the table are home runs (412 to 399), stolen bases (289 to 137), and slugging percentage (.500 to .480). Plate discipline differs: Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), but Alfonso Soriano struck out more than walked (1,803 to 496). Home runs make up a larger share of Alfonso Soriano's hits: 399 of 3,007 for Al Kaline, 412 of 2,095 for Alfonso Soriano. Alfonso Soriano was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Al Kaline vs Alfonso Soriano: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Alfonso Soriano?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Alfonso Soriano in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Alfonso Soriano hit more home runs?
- Alfonso Soriano, with 412 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Alfonso Soriano's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Alfonso Soriano's .270.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Alfonso Soriano's 2,095.