Jose Altuve vs Josh Donaldson: Career Stats Comparison
Jose Altuve has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Jose Altuve has played 2011–present as a hitter; Josh Donaldson played 2010–2023 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
Jose Altuve (2011–present) and Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) — both broke in during the 2010s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Jose Altuve has 2,519 hits and 271 home runs through October 12, 2026; Josh Donaldson finished with 1,310 hits and 279 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Jose Altuve's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Jose Altuve's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average? Jose Altuve, with .300 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Jose Altuve, with 2,519 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Jose Altuve, with 939 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Jose Altuve, with 22,947 career PIV to Josh Donaldson's 18,424.
- Who won more championships? Jose Altuve, with 2 World Series titles to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Jose Altuve
Josh Donaldson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jose Altuve and Josh Donaldson. 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.
Jose Altuve is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jose Altuve | Josh Donaldson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,110 | 1,384 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,405 | 5,022 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,306 | 816 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,519 | 1,310 |
| Doubles | Leads: 479 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 34 | 12 |
| Home Runs | 271 | Leads: 279 |
| RBI | Leads: 939 | 816 |
| Walks | 696 | Leads: 725 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,253 | 1,221 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 330 | 40 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .300 | .261 |
| On-Base % | .357 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .462 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .818 | Leads: .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jose Altuve leads Josh Donaldson 22,947 to 18,424 — driven by per-season impact — 1,530 PIV per season to 1,228 — rather than by longevity, since Jose Altuve played 15 seasons to Josh Donaldson's 15. 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).
Jose Altuve — top 3 seasons by OPS
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Altuve leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Josh Donaldson owns home runs, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jose Altuve. PIV agrees: Jose Altuve grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jose Altuve and Josh Donaldson careers compare
Jose Altuve and Josh Donaldson were active at the same time between 2011 and 2023. Jose Altuve has the far longer record, 2,110 games against 1,384 across 15 and 15 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Jose Altuve struck out more than walked (1,253 to 696); Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725). Josh Donaldson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 279 of 1,310 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Jose Altuve stole more often per game played (330 steals in 2,110 games for Jose Altuve, 40 in 1,384 for Josh Donaldson). Josh Donaldson's on-base percentage of .358 tops Jose Altuve's .357. Because Jose Altuve is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jose Altuve vs Josh Donaldson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jose Altuve or Josh Donaldson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jose Altuve leads Josh Donaldson in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jose Altuve or Josh Donaldson hit more home runs?
- Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Jose Altuve's 271.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Jose Altuve's .818.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Jose Altuve, with .300 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Jose Altuve, with 2,519 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.