Al Kaline vs Carl Yastrzemski: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Yastrzemski has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Carl Yastrzemski played 1961–1983 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 Carl Yastrzemski (1961–1983) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 14 seasons. Al Kaline finished with 3,007 hits and 399 home runs; Carl Yastrzemski finished with 3,419 hits and 452 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Carl Yastrzemski, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS? Al Kaline, with .855 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average? Al Kaline, with .297 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits? Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Al Kaline's 3,007.
- Who drove in more runs? Carl Yastrzemski, with 1,844 to Al Kaline's 1,583.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Carl Yastrzemski, with 54,310 career PIV to Al Kaline's 45,087.
Al Kaline
Carl Yastrzemski
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Al Kaline and Carl Yastrzemski. 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 | Carl Yastrzemski |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 2,834 | 3,308 |
| At-Bats not scored | 10,116 | 11,988 |
| Runs | 1,622 | Leads: 1,816 |
| Hits | 3,007 | Leads: 3,419 |
| Doubles | 498 | Leads: 646 |
| Triples | Leads: 75 | 59 |
| Home Runs | 399 | Leads: 452 |
| RBI | 1,583 | Leads: 1,844 |
| Walks | 1,277 | Leads: 1,845 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,020 | 1,393 |
| Stolen Bases | 137 | Leads: 168 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .297 | .285 |
| On-Base % | .376 | Leads: .379 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .480 | .462 |
| OPS | Leads: .855 | .841 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Yastrzemski leads Al Kaline 54,310 to 45,087 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,361 PIV per season to 2,049, across 23 seasons to 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
Carl Yastrzemski — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Carl Yastrzemski leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and others. Al Kaline leads 4: triples, batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Yastrzemski. PIV agrees: Carl Yastrzemski 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 Carl Yastrzemski careers compare
From 1961 through 1974, Al Kaline and Carl Yastrzemski were in the majors together. With 2,834 games against 3,308 across 22 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Al Kaline's edges on the table are triples (75 to 59), batting average (.297 to .285), and slugging percentage (.480 to .462). At the plate, Al Kaline walked more often than struck out (1,277 walks, 1,020 strikeouts), and Carl Yastrzemski walked more often than struck out (1,845 walks, 1,393 strikeouts). Carl Yastrzemski was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In on-base percentage, Carl Yastrzemski holds the edge, .379 to .376.
Al Kaline vs Carl Yastrzemski: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Al Kaline or Carl Yastrzemski?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Yastrzemski leads Al Kaline in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Al Kaline or Carl Yastrzemski hit more home runs?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 452 to Al Kaline's 399.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Al Kaline, with .855 to Carl Yastrzemski's .841.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Al Kaline, with .297 to Carl Yastrzemski's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Carl Yastrzemski, with 3,419 to Al Kaline's 3,007.