Al Kaline vs Rusty Staub: Career Stats Comparison
Al Kaline has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Al Kaline played 1953–1974 as a hitter; Rusty Staub played 1963–1985 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 Rusty Staub (1963–1985) — they broke in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Rusty Staub finished with 2,716 hits and 292 home runs. 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 Rusty Staub's 292.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Rusty Staub's .279.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Rusty Staub's 2,716.
- Who drove in more runs? Al Kaline, with 1,583 to Rusty Staub's 1,466.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Al Kaline, with 45,087 career PIV to Rusty Staub's 30,346.
- Who won more championships? Al Kaline, with 1 World Series title to Rusty Staub's 0.
Al Kaline
Rusty Staub
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Rusty Staub. 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 | Rusty Staub |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,834 | Leads: 2,951 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 10,116 | 9,720 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,622 | 1,189 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,716 |
| Doubles | 498 | Leads: 499 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 399 | 292 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,583 | 1,466 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,277 | 1,255 |
| Strikeouts | 1,020 | 888 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 47 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .279 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .376 | .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .431 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .793 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Al Kaline outpaces Rusty Staub 45,087 to 30,346 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,049 vs 1,264 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
Rusty Staub — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Al Kaline leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Rusty Staub owns no headline categories. 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 Rusty Staub: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Rusty Staub?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Al Kaline leads Rusty Staub in 12 of 14 categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Rusty Staub hit more home runs?
- Al Kaline, with 399 to Rusty Staub's 292.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Rusty Staub's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Rusty Staub's 2,716.