Joe Mauer vs Joe Nathan: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Mauer and Joe Nathan played different roles, so their careers are compared side by side rather than scored against each other. Joe Mauer played 2004–2018 as a hitter; Joe Nathan played 1999–2016 as a pitcher.
- 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
Joe Mauer (2004–2018) and Joe Nathan (1999–2016) played opposite sides of the ball, so there is no honest category-by-category scoreboard for this matchup. Joe Nathan pitched, totalling 64 wins and 976 strikeouts; Joe Mauer hit, totalling 2,123 hits and 143 home runs. Each career is shown below in its own discipline, with PIV as the one measure that spans both roles.
Quick answer
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Nathan, with 22,319 career PIV to Joe Mauer's 20,061.
- Who won more championships? Joe Nathan, with 1 World Series title to Joe Mauer's 0.
Career Stats, Each in His Own Role
Joe Nathan is shown on pitching lines and Joe Mauer on batting lines. Nothing is marked as a category winner, because these two cards measure different jobs — reading them cell against cell would tell you nothing.
Joe Mauer — Hitter
| Statistic | Joe Mauer |
|---|---|
| Games | 1,858 |
| At-Bats | 6,930 |
| Runs | 1,018 |
| Hits | 2,123 |
| Doubles | 428 |
| Triples | 30 |
| Home Runs | 143 |
| RBI | 923 |
| Walks | 939 |
| Strikeouts | 1,034 |
| Stolen Bases | 52 |
| Batting Avg | .306 |
| On-Base % | .388 |
| Slugging % | .439 |
| OPS | .827 |
Joe Nathan — Pitcher
| Statistic | Joe Nathan |
|---|---|
| Wins | 64 |
| Losses | 34 |
| Games | 787 |
| Games Started | 29 |
| Complete Games | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 |
| Saves | 377 |
| Strikeouts | 976 |
| Walks | 344 |
| Hits Allowed | 690 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 84 |
| Innings Pitched | 923.1 |
| ERA | 2.87 |
| WHIP | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 9.51 |
| BB/9 | 3.35 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
Joe Mauer carries a career batting PIV of 20,061; Joe Nathan carries a career pitching PIV of 22,319. Joe Nathan is the higher of the two at 22,319 to 20,061. Both figures adjust each season to league baselines, but batting PIV and pitching PIV are calibrated separately — so read this as a directional comparison of career impact, not a settled verdict.
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 within his own role — ERA for the pitcher (120+ innings), OPS for the hitter (300+ at-bats).
Joe Mauer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Joe Nathan
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
There is no head-to-head scoreboard for Joe Nathan and Joe Mauer: one pitched and one hit, and no counting stat means the same thing on both cards. On PIV — the one metric that scores both roles against league baselines — Joe Nathan grades higher, 22,319 to 20,061. Because the batting and pitching versions of PIV are calibrated separately, that gap is a directional signal about career impact rather than a ruling on who was the better ballplayer. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Mauer and Joe Nathan careers compare
Joe Mauer and Joe Nathan were active at the same time between 2004 and 2016. Joe Mauer's batting card reads 2,123 hits, 143 home runs and a .306 average. As a pitcher, Joe Nathan went 64-34 with a 2.87 ERA and 976 strikeouts. Because one is a pitcher and the other a hitter, the page keeps their statistics in separate tables and uses PIV as the shared yardstick. Joe Nathan has no qualifying season for the peak list, while Joe Mauer's best is 2009.
Joe Mauer vs Joe Nathan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who has the higher career PIV?
- Joe Nathan, with 22,319 career PIV to Joe Mauer's 20,061.
- Who won more championships?
- Joe Nathan, with 1 World Series title to Joe Mauer's 0.
- How do Joe Mauer and Joe Nathan compare?
- Joe Mauer played 2004–2018 and Joe Nathan played 1999–2016; this page sets their career totals side by side in every category both accumulated.