Robinson Cano vs Josh Donaldson: Career Stats Comparison
Robinson Cano has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Robinson Cano played 2005–2022 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
Robinson Cano (2005–2022) and Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Robinson Cano finished with 2,639 hits and 335 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? Robinson Cano, with 335 to Josh Donaldson's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Robinson Cano's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average? Robinson Cano, with .301 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Robinson Cano, with 2,639 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Robinson Cano, with 1,306 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Robinson Cano, with 25,312 career PIV to Josh Donaldson's 18,424.
- Who won more championships? Robinson Cano, with 1 World Series title to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Robinson Cano
Josh Donaldson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Robinson Cano 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 2000s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Robinson Cano | Josh Donaldson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,267 | 1,384 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 8,773 | 5,022 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,262 | 816 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,639 | 1,310 |
| Doubles | Leads: 572 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 33 | 12 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 335 | 279 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,306 | 816 |
| Walks | 620 | Leads: 725 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,214 | 1,221 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 51 | 40 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .301 | .261 |
| On-Base % | .351 | Leads: .358 |
| Slugging % | .488 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .839 | Leads: .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robinson Cano outpaces Josh Donaldson 25,312 to 18,424 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,332 PIV per season to 1,228, across 19 seasons to 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).
Robinson Cano — top 3 seasons by OPS
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Robinson Cano 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 Robinson Cano. PIV agrees: Robinson Cano grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Robinson Cano and Josh Donaldson careers compare
From 2010 through 2022, Robinson Cano and Josh Donaldson were in the majors together. The table compares 2,267 games of Robinson Cano with 1,384 of Josh Donaldson across 19 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Josh Donaldson's edges on the table are walks (725 to 620), on-base percentage (.358 to .351), and slugging percentage (.489 to .488). Robinson Cano struck out more than walked (1,214 to 620); 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. Josh Donaldson's on-base percentage of .358 tops Robinson Cano's .351.
Robinson Cano vs Josh Donaldson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robinson Cano or Josh Donaldson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Robinson Cano leads Josh Donaldson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Robinson Cano or Josh Donaldson hit more home runs?
- Robinson Cano, with 335 to Josh Donaldson's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Robinson Cano's .839.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Robinson Cano, with .301 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Robinson Cano, with 2,639 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.