Jason Kendall vs Joe Mauer: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Mauer 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). Jason Kendall played 1996–2010 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
Jason Kendall (1996–2010) and Joe Mauer (2004–2018) — they broke in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Jason Kendall finished with 2,195 hits and 75 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? Joe Mauer, with 143 to Jason Kendall's 75.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Mauer, with .827 to Jason Kendall's .744.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Mauer, with .306 to Jason Kendall's .288.
- Who had more hits? Jason Kendall, with 2,195 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Mauer, with 923 to Jason Kendall's 744.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Mauer, with 20,061 career PIV to Jason Kendall's 2,078.
Jason Kendall
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Jason Kendall 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, and the 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jason Kendall | Joe Mauer |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 2,085 | 1,858 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 7,627 | 6,930 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,030 | 1,018 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,195 | 2,123 |
| Doubles | 394 | Leads: 428 |
| Triples | Leads: 35 | 30 |
| Home Runs | 75 | Leads: 143 |
| RBI | 744 | Leads: 923 |
| Walks | 721 | Leads: 939 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 686 | 1,034 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 189 | 52 |
| Batting Avg | .288 | Leads: .306 |
| On-Base % | .366 | Leads: .388 |
| Slugging % | .378 | Leads: .439 |
| OPS | .744 | Leads: .827 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Mauer outpaces Jason Kendall 20,061 to 2,078 — driven by per-season impact — 1,337 PIV per season to 130 — rather than by longevity, since Joe Mauer played 15 seasons to Jason Kendall's 16. 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).
Jason Kendall — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Mauer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Mauer leads in home runs, RBI, batting average, and OBP, while Jason Kendall owns hits, runs, and stolen bases. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Mauer. PIV agrees: Joe Mauer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jason Kendall and Joe Mauer careers compare
From 2004 through 2010, Jason Kendall and Joe Mauer were in the majors together. With 2,085 games against 1,858 across 16 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Plate discipline differs: Jason Kendall walked more often than struck out (721 walks, 686 strikeouts), but Joe Mauer struck out more than walked (1,034 to 939). Joe Mauer is the more power-leaning hitter, with 143 of 2,123 hits leaving the park. On the bases, Jason Kendall stole more often per game played (189 steals in 2,085 games for Jason Kendall, 52 in 1,858 for Joe Mauer). In on-base percentage, Joe Mauer holds the edge, .388 to .366.
Jason Kendall vs Joe Mauer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jason Kendall or Joe Mauer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Mauer leads Jason Kendall in 8 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Jason Kendall or Joe Mauer hit more home runs?
- Joe Mauer, with 143 to Jason Kendall's 75.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Mauer, with .827 to Jason Kendall's .744.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Mauer, with .306 to Jason Kendall's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- Jason Kendall, with 2,195 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.