Adrian Beltre vs Josh Donaldson: Career Stats Comparison
Adrian Beltre 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). Adrian Beltre played 1998–2018 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
Adrian Beltre (1998–2018) and Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Adrian Beltre finished with 3,166 hits and 477 home runs; 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? Adrian Beltre, with 477 to Josh Donaldson's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Adrian Beltre's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average? Adrian Beltre, with .286 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Adrian Beltre, with 3,166 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Adrian Beltre, with 1,707 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Adrian Beltre, with 22,100 career PIV to Josh Donaldson's 18,424.
Adrian Beltre
Josh Donaldson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Adrian Beltre 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, and the 1990s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Adrian Beltre | Josh Donaldson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,933 | 1,384 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 11,068 | 5,022 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,524 | 816 |
| Hits | Leads: 3,166 | 1,310 |
| Doubles | Leads: 636 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 38 | 12 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 477 | 279 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,707 | 816 |
| Walks | Leads: 848 | 725 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,732 | 1,221 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 121 | 40 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .286 | .261 |
| On-Base % | .339 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .480 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .819 | Leads: .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Adrian Beltre leads Josh Donaldson 22,100 to 18,424 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Adrian Beltre played 21 seasons to Josh Donaldson's 15, while Josh Donaldson carries the higher per-season figure (1,228 to 1,052). 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).
Adrian Beltre — top 3 seasons by OPS
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Adrian Beltre leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Josh Donaldson owns OBP and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Adrian Beltre. PIV agrees: Adrian Beltre grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Adrian Beltre and Josh Donaldson careers compare
From 2010 through 2018, Adrian Beltre and Josh Donaldson were in the majors together. The table compares 2,933 games of Adrian Beltre with 1,384 of Josh Donaldson across 21 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Josh Donaldson are on-base percentage (.358 to .339), slugging percentage (.489 to .480), and OPS (.847 to .819). At the plate, Adrian Beltre struck out more than walked (1,732 to 848), and 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. Adrian Beltre was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Adrian Beltre vs Josh Donaldson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Adrian Beltre or Josh Donaldson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Adrian Beltre leads Josh Donaldson in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Adrian Beltre or Josh Donaldson hit more home runs?
- Adrian Beltre, with 477 to Josh Donaldson's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Adrian Beltre's .819.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Adrian Beltre, with .286 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Adrian Beltre, with 3,166 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.