Al Kaline vs Willie Stargell: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Al Kaline played 1953–1974 as a hitter; Willie Stargell played 1962–1982 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 Willie Stargell (1962–1982) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 13 seasons. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Willie Stargell finished with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Al Kaline, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Willie Stargell, with 475 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Willie Stargell, with .889 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Willie Stargell's 1,540.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Willie Stargell's 42,804.
Al Kaline
Willie Stargell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Willie Stargell. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Al Kaline | Willie Stargell |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,834 | 2,360 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,116 | 7,927 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,194 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,232 |
| Doubles | Leads: 498 | 423 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 55 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 475 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,540 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 937 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 1,936 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 17 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .282 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .360 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .529 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: .889 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline edges Willie Stargell 45,087 to 42,804 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,049 PIV per season to 2,038, across 22 seasons to 21. 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
Willie Stargell — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Al Kaline leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Willie Stargell leads 3: home runs, slugging percentage, and OPS. 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 Willie Stargell careers compare
Al Kaline and Willie Stargell were active at the same time between 1962 and 1974. The two careers are close in length, 2,834 games for Al Kaline and 2,360 for Willie Stargell across 22 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Willie Stargell's edges on the table are home runs (475 to 399), slugging percentage (.529 to .480), and OPS (.889 to .855). Plate discipline differs: Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), but Willie Stargell struck out more than walked (1,936 to 937).
Al Kaline vs Willie Stargell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Willie Stargell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Willie Stargell in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Willie Stargell hit more home runs?
- Willie Stargell, with 475 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Willie Stargell, with .889 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Willie Stargell's .282.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Willie Stargell's 2,232.