Josh Donaldson vs Pie Traynor: Career Stats Comparison
Pie Traynor 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). Josh Donaldson played 2010–2023 as a hitter; Pie Traynor played 1920–1937 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
Josh Donaldson (2010–2023) and Pie Traynor (1920–1937) — they broke in during the 2010s and the 1920s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Josh Donaldson finished with 1,310 hits and 279 home runs; Pie Traynor finished with 2,416 hits and 58 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 Pie Traynor's 58.
- Who had the higher OPS? Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Pie Traynor's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average? Pie Traynor, with .320 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Pie Traynor, with 2,416 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Pie Traynor, with 1,273 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Josh Donaldson, with 18,424 career PIV to Pie Traynor's 11,425.
- Who won more championships? Pie Traynor, with 1 World Series title to Josh Donaldson's 0.
Josh Donaldson
Pie Traynor
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Josh Donaldson and Pie Traynor. 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 2010s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Josh Donaldson | Pie Traynor |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,384 | Leads: 1,941 |
| At-Bats | 5,022 | Leads: 7,559 |
| Runs | 816 | Leads: 1,183 |
| Hits | 1,310 | Leads: 2,416 |
| Doubles | 287 | Leads: 371 |
| Triples | 12 | Leads: 164 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 279 | 58 |
| RBI | 816 | Leads: 1,273 |
| Walks | Leads: 725 | 472 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,221 | 278 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 158 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .320 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .489 | .435 |
| OPS | Leads: .847 | .797 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Josh Donaldson outpaces Pie Traynor 18,424 to 11,425 — driven by per-season impact — 1,228 PIV per season to 672 — rather than by longevity, since Josh Donaldson played 15 seasons to Pie Traynor's 17. 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).
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Pie Traynor — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pie Traynor leads in hits, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Josh Donaldson owns home runs and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pie Traynor. Note that PIV actually grades Josh Donaldson ahead, which means Pie Traynor's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Donaldson and Pie Traynor careers compare
No season is shared: Pie Traynor played 1920–1937, Josh Donaldson 2010–2023. With 1,384 games against 1,941 across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Josh Donaldson's edges on the table are home runs (279 to 58), walks (725 to 472), and slugging percentage (.489 to .435). At the plate, Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725), while Pie Traynor walked more often than struck out (472 walks, 278 strikeouts). Josh Donaldson is the more power-leaning hitter, with 279 of 1,310 hits leaving the park. Pie Traynor was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. Pie Traynor's on-base percentage of .362 tops Josh Donaldson's .358.
Josh Donaldson vs Pie Traynor: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Donaldson or Pie Traynor?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pie Traynor leads Josh Donaldson in 10 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Josh Donaldson or Pie Traynor hit more home runs?
- Josh Donaldson, with 279 to Pie Traynor's 58.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Josh Donaldson, with .847 to Pie Traynor's .797.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Pie Traynor, with .320 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Pie Traynor, with 2,416 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.