Ralph Kiner vs Jackie Robinson: Career Stats Comparison
Ralph Kiner and Jackie Robinson are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Ralph Kiner played 1946–1955 as a hitter; Jackie Robinson played 1947–1956 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
Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) and Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) — both broke in during the 1940s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Ralph Kiner finished with 1,451 hits and 369 home runs; Jackie Robinson finished with 1,568 hits and 141 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Ralph Kiner, with 369 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS? Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Jackie Robinson's .887.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits? Jackie Robinson, with 1,568 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.
- Who drove in more runs? Ralph Kiner, with 1,015 to Jackie Robinson's 764.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Ralph Kiner, with 35,424 career PIV to Jackie Robinson's 25,382.
- Who won more championships? Jackie Robinson, with 1 World Series title to Ralph Kiner's 0.
Ralph Kiner
Jackie Robinson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Ralph Kiner and Jackie Robinson. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ralph Kiner | Jackie Robinson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,472 | 1,418 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 5,205 | 5,006 |
| Runs | 971 | Leads: 974 |
| Hits | 1,451 | Leads: 1,568 |
| Doubles | 216 | Leads: 287 |
| Triples | 39 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 369 | 141 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,015 | 764 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,011 | 756 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 749 | 291 |
| Stolen Bases | 22 | Leads: 203 |
| Batting Avg | .279 | Leads: .313 |
| On-Base % | .398 | Leads: .410 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .548 | .477 |
| OPS | Leads: .946 | .887 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ralph Kiner outpaces Jackie Robinson 35,424 to 25,382 — driven by per-season impact — 3,220 PIV per season to 2,307 — rather than by longevity, since Ralph Kiner played 11 seasons to Jackie Robinson's 11. 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).
Ralph Kiner — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jackie Robinson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jackie Robinson leads in hits, runs, stolen bases, and batting average, while Ralph Kiner owns home runs, RBI, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jackie Robinson. Note that PIV actually grades Ralph Kiner ahead, which means Jackie Robinson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ralph Kiner and Jackie Robinson careers compare
The careers of Ralph Kiner (1946–1955) and Jackie Robinson (1947–1956) overlapped from 1947 to 1955, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,472 games for Ralph Kiner and 1,418 for Jackie Robinson across 11 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Ralph Kiner walked more often than struck out (1,011 walks, 749 strikeouts), and Jackie Robinson walked more often than struck out (756 walks, 291 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Ralph Kiner's hits: 369 of 1,451 for Ralph Kiner, 141 of 1,568 for Jackie Robinson.
Ralph Kiner vs Jackie Robinson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Ralph Kiner or Jackie Robinson hit more home runs?
- Ralph Kiner, with 369 to Jackie Robinson's 141.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Ralph Kiner, with .946 to Jackie Robinson's .887.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jackie Robinson, with .313 to Ralph Kiner's .279.
- Who had more hits?
- Jackie Robinson, with 1,568 to Ralph Kiner's 1,451.