Cody Bellinger vs Josh Donaldson: Career Stats Comparison
Josh Donaldson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Cody Bellinger has played 2017–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
Cody Bellinger (2017–present) and Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) — both broke in during the 2010s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Cody Bellinger has 1,233 hits and 242 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 Cody Bellinger's 242.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Cody Bellinger's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average? Neither — both are at .261.
- Who had more hits? Josh Donaldson, with 1,310 to Cody Bellinger's 1,233.
- Who drove in more runs? Josh Donaldson, with 816 to Cody Bellinger's 768.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Josh Donaldson, with 18,424 career PIV to Cody Bellinger's 10,298.
- Who won more championships? Cody Bellinger, with 1 World Series title to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Cody Bellinger
Josh Donaldson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Cody Bellinger 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.
Cody Bellinger is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Cody Bellinger | Josh Donaldson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,289 | Leads: 1,384 |
| At-Bats | 4,726 | Leads: 5,022 |
| Runs | 763 | Leads: 816 |
| Hits | 1,233 | Leads: 1,310 |
| Doubles | 236 | Leads: 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 31 | 12 |
| Home Runs | 242 | Leads: 279 |
| RBI | 768 | Leads: 816 |
| Walks | 528 | Leads: 725 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,046 | 1,221 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 116 | 40 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .261 | .261 |
| On-Base % | .334 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .478 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .812 | Leads: .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Josh Donaldson outpaces Cody Bellinger 18,424 to 10,298 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,228 PIV per season to 1,144, across 15 seasons to 9. 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).
Cody Bellinger — top 3 seasons by OPS
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Josh Donaldson leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Cody Bellinger owns stolen bases and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Josh Donaldson. PIV agrees: Josh Donaldson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cody Bellinger and Josh Donaldson careers compare
Cody Bellinger and Josh Donaldson were active at the same time between 2017 and 2023. The two careers are close in length, 1,289 games for Cody Bellinger and 1,384 for Josh Donaldson across 9 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Cody Bellinger's edges on the table are triples (31 to 12), stolen bases (116 to 40), and batting average (.261 to .261). Cody Bellinger struck out more than walked (1,046 to 528); Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725). Cody Bellinger was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Josh Donaldson's slugging percentage of .489 tops Cody Bellinger's .478. Cody Bellinger's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Cody Bellinger vs Josh Donaldson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cody Bellinger or Josh Donaldson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Josh Donaldson leads Cody Bellinger in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Cody Bellinger or Josh Donaldson hit more home runs?
- Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Cody Bellinger's 242.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Cody Bellinger's .812.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Neither — both are at .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Josh Donaldson, with 1,310 to Cody Bellinger's 1,233.