Al Kaline vs Ted Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Ted Williams 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; Ted Williams played 1939–1960 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 Ted Williams (1939–1960) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1930s respectively and share 8 seasons. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Ted Williams finished with 2,654 hits and 521 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Ted Williams, in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Ted Williams, with 521 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ted Williams, with .344 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits? Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Ted Williams's 2,654.
- Who drove in more runs? Ted Williams, with 1,839 to Al Kaline's 1,583.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ted Williams, with 96,302 career PIV to Al Kaline's 45,087.
Al Kaline
Ted Williams
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Ted Williams. 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 | Ted Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,834 | 2,292 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,116 | 7,706 |
| Runs | 1,622 | Leads: 1,798 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,007 | 2,654 |
| Doubles | 498 | Leads: 525 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 71 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 521 |
| RBI | 1,583 | Leads: 1,839 |
| Walks | 1,277 | Leads: 2,021 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 709 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 137 | 24 |
| Batting Avg | .297 | Leads: .344 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .482 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .634 |
| OPS | .855 | Leads: 1.116 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ted Williams outpaces Al Kaline 96,302 to 45,087 — driven by per-season impact — 5,069 PIV per season to 2,049 — rather than by longevity, since Ted Williams played 19 seasons to Al Kaline's 22. 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
Ted Williams — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Ted Williams leads 9 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, doubles, home runs, RBI, and others. Al Kaline leads 3: hits, triples, and stolen bases. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ted Williams. PIV agrees: Ted Williams 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 Ted Williams careers compare
From 1953 through 1960, Al Kaline and Ted Williams were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 2,834 games for Al Kaline and 2,292 for Ted Williams across 22 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Al Kaline are hits (3,007 to 2,654), triples (75 to 71), and stolen bases (137 to 24). Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts); Ted Williams walked more often than struck out (2,021 walks, 709 strikeouts). Ted Williams is the more power-leaning hitter, with 521 of 2,654 hits leaving the park.
Al Kaline vs Ted Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Ted Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ted Williams leads Al Kaline in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Ted Williams hit more home runs?
- Ted Williams, with 521 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ted Williams, with 1.116 to Al Kaline's .855.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ted Williams, with .344 to Al Kaline's .297.
- Who had more hits?
- Al Kaline, with 3,007 to Ted Williams's 2,654.