Josh Donaldson vs Mike Trout: Career Stats Comparison
Mike Trout has the better career line of the two, leading 14 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; Mike Trout has played 2011–present 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 Mike Trout (2011–present) — both broke in during the 2010s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Josh Donaldson finished with 1,310 hits and 279 home runs; Mike Trout has 1,878 hits and 426 home runs through October 12, 2026. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Mike Trout, with 426 to Josh Donaldson's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mike Trout, with .963 to Josh Donaldson's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average? Mike Trout, with .290 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits? Mike Trout, with 1,878 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.
- Who drove in more runs? Mike Trout, with 1,072 to Josh Donaldson's 816.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mike Trout, with 44,462 career PIV to Josh Donaldson's 18,424.
Josh Donaldson
Mike Trout
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Josh Donaldson and Mike Trout. 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.
Mike Trout is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Josh Donaldson | Mike Trout |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,384 | Leads: 1,790 |
| At-Bats | 5,022 | Leads: 6,480 |
| Runs | 816 | Leads: 1,282 |
| Hits | 1,310 | Leads: 1,878 |
| Doubles | 287 | Leads: 351 |
| Triples | 12 | Leads: 55 |
| Home Runs | 279 | Leads: 426 |
| RBI | 816 | Leads: 1,072 |
| Walks | 725 | Leads: 1,174 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,221 | 1,828 |
| Stolen Bases | 40 | Leads: 225 |
| Batting Avg | .261 | Leads: .290 |
| On-Base % | .358 | Leads: .405 |
| Slugging % | .489 | Leads: .558 |
| OPS | .847 | Leads: .963 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Trout outpaces Josh Donaldson 44,462 to 18,424 — driven by per-season impact — 2,964 PIV per season to 1,228 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Trout played 15 seasons to Josh Donaldson's 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).
Josh Donaldson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Mike Trout — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mike Trout leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Josh Donaldson owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mike Trout. PIV agrees: Mike Trout grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Donaldson and Mike Trout careers compare
From 2011 through 2023, Josh Donaldson and Mike Trout were in the majors together. With 1,384 games against 1,790 across 15 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Mike Trout. At the plate, Josh Donaldson struck out more than walked (1,221 to 725), and Mike Trout struck out more than walked (1,828 to 1,174). Mike Trout was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played. In slugging percentage, Mike Trout holds the edge, .558 to .489. Because Mike Trout is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Josh Donaldson vs Mike Trout: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Donaldson or Mike Trout?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mike Trout leads Josh Donaldson in 14 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Josh Donaldson or Mike Trout hit more home runs?
- Mike Trout, with 426 to Josh Donaldson's 279.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mike Trout, with .963 to Josh Donaldson's .847.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Mike Trout, with .290 to Josh Donaldson's .261.
- Who had more hits?
- Mike Trout, with 1,878 to Josh Donaldson's 1,310.