Al Kaline vs Giancarlo Stanton: 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; Giancarlo Stanton has played 2010–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 Giancarlo Stanton (2010–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; Giancarlo Stanton has 1,642 hits and 456 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? Giancarlo Stanton, with 456 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Giancarlo Stanton, with .871 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Giancarlo Stanton's .258.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Giancarlo Stanton's 1,642.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Giancarlo Stanton's 1,183.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Giancarlo Stanton's 25,656.
- Who won more championships? Al Kaline, with 1 World Series title to Giancarlo Stanton's 0.
Al Kaline
Giancarlo Stanton
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Giancarlo Stanton. 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.
Giancarlo Stanton is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Al Kaline | Giancarlo Stanton |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,834 | 1,750 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 6,364 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 951 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 1,642 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 319 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 11 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 456 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,183 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 811 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 2,088 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 43 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .258 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .345 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .527 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: .871 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Giancarlo Stanton 45,087 to 25,656 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 1,603, across 22 seasons to 16. 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
Giancarlo Stanton — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Giancarlo Stanton owns home runs 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 Giancarlo Stanton careers compare
Al Kaline (1953–1974) was finished before Giancarlo Stanton (2010–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Al Kaline has the far longer record, 2,834 games against 1,750 across 22 and 16 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Giancarlo Stanton are home runs (456 to 399), slugging percentage (.527 to .480), and OPS (.871 to .855). At the plate, Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), while Giancarlo Stanton struck out more than walked (2,088 to 811). Giancarlo Stanton is the more power-leaning hitter, with 456 of 1,642 hits leaving the park. Because Giancarlo Stanton is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Al Kaline vs Giancarlo Stanton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Giancarlo Stanton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Giancarlo Stanton in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Giancarlo Stanton hit more home runs?
- Giancarlo Stanton, with 456 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Giancarlo Stanton, with .871 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Giancarlo Stanton's .258.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Giancarlo Stanton's 1,642.