Joe Mauer vs Ichiro Suzuki: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Mauer and Ichiro Suzuki are close to even, splitting the 14 scored categories on this page 7–7 (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Joe Mauer played 2004–2018 as a hitter; Ichiro Suzuki played 2001–2019 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
Joe Mauer (2004–2018) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001–2019) — both broke in during the 2000s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Joe Mauer finished with 2,123 hits and 143 home runs; Ichiro Suzuki finished with 3,089 hits and 117 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 Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Mauer, with .827 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average? Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Joe Mauer's .306.
- Who had more hits? Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.
- Who drove in more runs? Joe Mauer, with 923 to Ichiro Suzuki's 780.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Mauer, with 20,061 career PIV to Ichiro Suzuki's 6,671.
Ichiro Suzuki
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Mauer and Ichiro Suzuki. 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 | Joe Mauer | Ichiro Suzuki |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,858 | Leads: 2,653 |
| At-Bats | 6,930 | Leads: 9,934 |
| Runs | 1,018 | Leads: 1,420 |
| Hits | 2,123 | Leads: 3,089 |
| Doubles | Leads: 428 | 362 |
| Triples | 30 | Leads: 96 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 143 | 117 |
| RBI | Leads: 923 | 780 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 647 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,034 | 1,080 |
| Stolen Bases | 52 | Leads: 509 |
| Batting Avg | .306 | Leads: .311 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .355 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .439 | .402 |
| OPS | Leads: .827 | .757 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Mauer outpaces Ichiro Suzuki 20,061 to 6,671 — driven by per-season impact — 1,337 PIV per season to 334 — rather than by longevity, since Joe Mauer played 15 seasons to Ichiro Suzuki's 20. 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).
Joe Mauer — top 3 seasons by OPS
Ichiro Suzuki — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Mauer leads in home runs, RBI, OBP, and OPS, while Ichiro Suzuki 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 Joe Mauer and Ichiro Suzuki careers compare
The careers of Joe Mauer (2004–2018) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001–2019) overlapped from 2004 to 2018, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,858 games for Joe Mauer and 2,653 for Ichiro Suzuki across 15 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Joe Mauer struck out more than walked (1,034 to 939); Ichiro Suzuki struck out more than walked (1,080 to 647). Home runs make up a larger share of Joe Mauer's hits: 143 of 2,123 for Joe Mauer, 117 of 3,089 for Ichiro Suzuki. Ichiro Suzuki was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Joe Mauer vs Ichiro Suzuki: Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Joe Mauer or Ichiro Suzuki hit more home runs?
- Joe Mauer, with 143 to Ichiro Suzuki's 117.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Mauer, with .827 to Ichiro Suzuki's .757.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with .311 to Joe Mauer's .306.
- Who had more hits?
- Ichiro Suzuki, with 3,089 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.