Joe Mauer vs David Wright: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Mauer 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; David Wright 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
Joe Mauer (2004–2018) and David Wright (2004–2018) — 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; David Wright finished with 1,777 hits and 242 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? David Wright, with 242 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS? David Wright, with .867 to Joe Mauer's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average? Joe Mauer, with .306 to David Wright's .296.
- Who had more hits? Joe Mauer, with 2,123 to David Wright's 1,777.
- Who drove in more runs? David Wright, with 970 to Joe Mauer's 923.
- Who has the higher career PIV? David Wright, with 22,524 career PIV to Joe Mauer's 20,061.
David Wright
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Joe Mauer and David Wright. 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 | David Wright |
|---|---|---|
| Games | Leads: 1,858 | 1,585 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 6,930 | 5,998 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,018 | 949 |
| Hits | Leads: 2,123 | 1,777 |
| Doubles | Leads: 428 | 390 |
| Triples | Leads: 30 | 26 |
| Home Runs | 143 | Leads: 242 |
| RBI | 923 | Leads: 970 |
| Walks | Leads: 939 | 762 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,034 | 1,292 |
| Stolen Bases | 52 | Leads: 196 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .306 | .296 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .388 | .376 |
| Slugging % | .439 | Leads: .491 |
| OPS | .827 | Leads: .867 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Wright leads Joe Mauer 22,524 to 20,061 — driven by per-season impact — 1,609 PIV per season to 1,337 — rather than by longevity, since David Wright played 14 seasons to Joe Mauer's 15. 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
David Wright — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Wright leads in home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and OPS, while Joe Mauer owns hits, runs, and batting average. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Wright. PIV agrees: David Wright 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 David Wright careers compare
From 2004 through 2018, Joe Mauer and David Wright were in the majors together. With 1,858 games against 1,585 across 15 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Joe Mauer struck out more than walked (1,034 to 939); David Wright struck out more than walked (1,292 to 762). Home runs make up a larger share of David Wright's hits: 143 of 2,123 for Joe Mauer, 242 of 1,777 for David Wright. On the bases, David Wright stole more often per game played (52 steals in 1,858 games for Joe Mauer, 196 in 1,585 for David Wright). In slugging percentage, David Wright holds the edge, .491 to .439.
Joe Mauer vs David Wright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Mauer or David Wright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Mauer leads David Wright in 9 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Joe Mauer or David Wright hit more home runs?
- David Wright, with 242 to Joe Mauer's 143.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- David Wright, with .867 to Joe Mauer's .827.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Joe Mauer, with .306 to David Wright's .296.
- Who had more hits?
- Joe Mauer, with 2,123 to David Wright's 1,777.