Al Kaline vs Juan Soto: 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; Juan Soto has played 2018–present 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 Juan Soto (2018–present) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Juan Soto has 1,196 hits and 271 home runs through October 12, 2026. 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 Juan Soto's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS? Juan Soto, with .945 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Juan Soto's 1,196.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Juan Soto's 765.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Juan Soto's 27,584.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Al Kaline
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Juan Soto. 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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Juan Soto is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Al Kaline | Juan Soto |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,834 | 1,207 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 4,257 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 838 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 1,196 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 210 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 18 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 399 | 271 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 765 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 974 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 898 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 104 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .281 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .415 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .530 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: .945 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Juan Soto 45,087 to 27,584 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Al Kaline played 22 seasons to Juan Soto's 9, while Juan Soto carries the higher per-season figure (3,065 to 2,049). 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
Juan Soto — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Juan Soto owns 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
How the Al Kaline and Juan Soto careers compare
No season is shared: Al Kaline played 1953–1974, Juan Soto 2018–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Al Kaline appeared in 2,834 games to Juan Soto's 1,207. Juan Soto's edges on the table are on-base percentage (.415 to .376), slugging percentage (.530 to .480), and OPS (.945 to .855). Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts); Juan Soto walked more often than struck out (974 walks, 898 strikeouts). Juan Soto is the more power-leaning hitter, with 271 of 1,196 hits leaving the park. Because Juan Soto is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Al Kaline vs Juan Soto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Juan Soto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Juan Soto in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Juan Soto hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Juan Soto's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Juan Soto, with .945 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Juan Soto's .281.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Juan Soto's 1,196.