Edwin Encarnacion vs Joe Mauer: Career Stats Comparison
Edwin Encarnacion has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Edwin Encarnacion played 2005–2020 as a hitter; Joe Mauer played 2004–2018 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
Edwin Encarnacion (2005–2020) and Joe Mauer (2004–2018) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Edwin Encarnacion finished with 1,832 hits and 424 home runs; Joe Mauer finished with 2,123 hits and 143 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Edwin Encarnacion, with 424 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS? Edwin Encarnacion, with .846 to Joe Mauer's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Mauer, with .306 to Edwin Encarnacion's .260.
- Who had more hits? Joe Mauer, with 2,123 to Edwin Encarnacion's 1,832.
- Who drove in more runs? Edwin Encarnacion, with 1,261 to Joe Mauer's 923.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Edwin Encarnacion, with 22,361 career PIV to Joe Mauer's 20,061.
Edwin Encarnacion
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Edwin Encarnacion and Joe Mauer. 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 | Edwin Encarnacion | Joe Mauer |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,960 | 1,858 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,040 | 6,930 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,099 | 1,018 |
| Hits | 1,832 | Leads: 2,123 |
| Doubles | 370 | Leads: 428 |
| Triples | 10 | Leads: 30 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 424 | 143 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,261 | 923 |
| Walks | 903 | Leads: 939 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,426 | 1,034 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 61 | 52 |
| Batting Avg | .260 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | .350 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .496 | .439 |
| OPS | Leads: .846 | .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Edwin Encarnacion leads Joe Mauer 22,361 to 20,061 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Edwin Encarnacion played 18 seasons to Joe Mauer's 15, while Joe Mauer carries the higher per-season figure (1,337 to 1,242). 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).
Edwin Encarnacion — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Mauer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Edwin Encarnacion leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Joe Mauer owns hits, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Edwin Encarnacion. PIV agrees: Edwin Encarnacion grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Edwin Encarnacion and Joe Mauer careers compare
The careers of Edwin Encarnacion (2005–2020) and Joe Mauer (2004–2018) overlapped from 2005 to 2018, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,960 games for Edwin Encarnacion and 1,858 for Joe Mauer across 18 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Edwin Encarnacion struck out more than walked (1,426 to 903); Joe Mauer struck out more than walked (1,034 to 939). Home runs make up a larger share of Edwin Encarnacion's hits: 424 of 1,832 for Edwin Encarnacion, 143 of 2,123 for Joe Mauer.
Edwin Encarnacion vs Joe Mauer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Edwin Encarnacion or Joe Mauer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Edwin Encarnacion leads Joe Mauer in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Edwin Encarnacion or Joe Mauer hit more home runs?
- Edwin Encarnacion, with 424 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Edwin Encarnacion, with .846 to Joe Mauer's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Mauer, with .306 to Edwin Encarnacion's .260.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Mauer, with 2,123 to Edwin Encarnacion's 1,832.