Joe Mauer vs Miguel Tejada: Career Stats Comparison
Miguel Tejada has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Joe Mauer played 2004–2018 as a hitter; Miguel Tejada played 1997–2013 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 Miguel Tejada (1997–2013) — they broke in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Joe Mauer finished with 2,123 hits and 143 home runs; Miguel Tejada finished with 2,407 hits and 307 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Miguel Tejada, with 307 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS? Joe Mauer, with .827 to Miguel Tejada's .791.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Mauer, with .306 to Miguel Tejada's .285.
- Who had more hits? Miguel Tejada, with 2,407 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.
- Who drove in more runs? Miguel Tejada, with 1,302 to Joe Mauer's 923.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Joe Mauer, with 20,061 career PIV to Miguel Tejada's 8,602.
Miguel Tejada
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Mauer and Miguel Tejada. 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 2000s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe Mauer | Miguel Tejada |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,858 | Leads: 2,171 |
| At-Bats | 6,930 | Leads: 8,434 |
| Runs | 1,018 | Leads: 1,230 |
| Hits | 2,123 | Leads: 2,407 |
| Doubles | 428 | Leads: 468 |
| Triples | Leads: 30 | 23 |
| Home Runs | 143 | Leads: 307 |
| RBI | 923 | Leads: 1,302 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 553 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,034 | 1,079 |
| Stolen Bases | 52 | Leads: 85 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .285 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .336 |
| Slugging % | .439 | Leads: .456 |
| OPS | Leads: .827 | .791 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Mauer outpaces Miguel Tejada 20,061 to 8,602 — driven by per-season impact — 1,337 PIV per season to 506 — rather than by longevity, since Joe Mauer played 15 seasons to Miguel Tejada's 17. 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
Miguel Tejada — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Miguel Tejada leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Joe Mauer owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Miguel Tejada. Note that PIV actually grades Joe Mauer ahead, which means Miguel Tejada's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Mauer and Miguel Tejada careers compare
From 2004 through 2013, Joe Mauer and Miguel Tejada were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,858 games for Joe Mauer and 2,171 for Miguel Tejada across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. At the plate, Joe Mauer struck out more than walked (1,034 to 939), and Miguel Tejada struck out more than walked (1,079 to 553). Home runs make up a larger share of Miguel Tejada's hits: 143 of 2,123 for Joe Mauer, 307 of 2,407 for Miguel Tejada. Joe Mauer's on-base percentage of .388 tops Miguel Tejada's .336.
Joe Mauer vs Miguel Tejada: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Mauer or Miguel Tejada?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Miguel Tejada leads Joe Mauer in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Mauer or Miguel Tejada hit more home runs?
- Miguel Tejada, with 307 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Joe Mauer, with .827 to Miguel Tejada's .791.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Mauer, with .306 to Miguel Tejada's .285.
- Who had more hits?
- Miguel Tejada, with 2,407 to Joe Mauer's 2,123.