Matt Carpenter vs Josh Donaldson: Career Stats Comparison
Josh Donaldson 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). Matt Carpenter played 2011–2024 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
Matt Carpenter (2011–2024) and Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) — both broke in during the 2010s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Matt Carpenter finished with 1,257 hits and 179 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? Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Matt Carpenter's 179.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Matt Carpenter's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average? Josh Donaldson, with .261 to Matt Carpenter's .259.
- Who had more hits? Josh Donaldson, with 1,310 to Matt Carpenter's 1,257.
- Who drove in more runs? Josh Donaldson, with 816 to Matt Carpenter's 659.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Josh Donaldson, with 18,424 career PIV to Matt Carpenter's 14,122.
- Who won more championships? Matt Carpenter, with 1 World Series title to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Matt Carpenter
Josh Donaldson
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Matt Carpenter 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.
| Statistic | Matt Carpenter | Josh Donaldson |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,511 | 1,384 |
| At-Bats | 4,856 | Leads: 5,022 |
| Runs | 813 | Leads: 816 |
| Hits | 1,257 | Leads: 1,310 |
| Doubles | Leads: 329 | 287 |
| Triples | Leads: 28 | 12 |
| Home Runs | 179 | Leads: 279 |
| RBI | 659 | Leads: 816 |
| Walks | Leads: 774 | 725 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,225 | 1,221 |
| Stolen Bases | 28 | Leads: 40 |
| Batting Avg | .259 | Leads: .261 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .366 | .358 |
| Slugging % | .449 | Leads: .489 |
| OPS | .814 | Leads: .847 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Josh Donaldson leads Matt Carpenter 18,424 to 14,122 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,228 PIV per season to 1,009, across 15 seasons to 14. 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).
Matt Carpenter — 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 Matt Carpenter owns OBP. 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 Matt Carpenter and Josh Donaldson careers compare
Matt Carpenter and Josh Donaldson were active at the same time between 2011 and 2023. The two careers are close in length, 1,511 games for Matt Carpenter and 1,384 for Josh Donaldson across 14 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Matt Carpenter struck out more than walked (1,225 to 774), 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. On the peak-season lists, Matt Carpenter's best year is 2018 at .897 OPS and Josh Donaldson's is 2016 at .953 OPS; Josh Donaldson has the stronger single season.
Matt Carpenter vs Josh Donaldson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Matt Carpenter or Josh Donaldson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Josh Donaldson leads Matt Carpenter in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Matt Carpenter or Josh Donaldson hit more home runs?
- Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Matt Carpenter's 179.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Matt Carpenter's .814.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Josh Donaldson, with .261 to Matt Carpenter's .259.
- Who had more hits?
- Josh Donaldson, with 1,310 to Matt Carpenter's 1,257.