Josh Donaldson
Third Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (2010-2023)
Josh Donaldson was a third baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 2010 to 2023 for 7 teams, including the Athletics, a span of 14 seasons. In 1,384 career games, he hit .261 with 1,310 hits, 279 home runs, and 816 RBI. Josh Donaldson was a 3-time All-Star, an MVP, a 2-time Silver Slugger, and a Hank Aaron Award. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 18,424.
- 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
- Position
- Third Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 210 lb
- MLB Debut
- 2010-04-30
- Last Game
- 2023-10-01
- Awards
- 3× All-Star · MVP · 2× Silver Slugger · Hank Aaron Award
Full name: Joshua Adam Donaldson
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,384 | 5,022 | 816 | 1,310 | 287 | 12 | 279 | 816 | 40 | 725 | 1,221 | .261 | .358 | .489 | .847 | 18,424 |
Career AVG .261 vs. league average .251 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .358 vs. league average .319 across their career seasons — +12.1% above league average.
Career SLG .489 vs. league average .409 across their career seasons — +19.7% above league average.
Career OPS .847 vs. league average .728 across their career seasons — +16.4% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | OAK | AL | 14 | 32 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | .156 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 2012 | OAK | AL | 75 | 274 | 34 | 66 | 16 | 0 | 9 | 33 | 4 | 14 | 61 | .241 | .254 (-5%) | .318 (-9%) | .405 (-2%) | .724 (-5%) | -253.4 |
| 2013 | OAK | AL | 158 | 579 | 89 | 174 | 37 | 3 | 24 | 93 | 5 | 76 | 110 | .301 | .253 (+19%) | .317 (+21%) | .396 (+26%) | .714 (+24%) | 2948.5 |
| 2014 | OAK | AL | 158 | 608 | 93 | 155 | 31 | 2 | 29 | 98 | 8 | 76 | 130 | .255 | .251 (+2%) | .313 (+9%) | .386 (+18%) | .700 (+14%) | 1811.3 |
| 2015 | TOR | AL | 158 | 620 | 122 | 184 | 41 | 2 | 41 | 123 | 6 | 73 | 133 | .297 | .254 (+17%) | .316 (+17%) | .404 (+40%) | .721 (+30%) | 3797.2 |
| 2016 | TOR | AL | 155 | 577 | 122 | 164 | 32 | 5 | 37 | 99 | 7 | 109 | 119 | .284 | .255 (+11%) | .321 (+26%) | .417 (+32%) | .738 (+29%) | 3896.1 |
| 2017 | TOR | AL | 113 | 415 | 65 | 112 | 21 | 0 | 33 | 78 | 2 | 76 | 111 | .270 | .254 (+6%) | .324 (+19%) | .425 (+31%) | .750 (+26%) | 2312.6 |
| 2018 | TOR | AL | 36 | 137 | 22 | 32 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 2 | 21 | 44 | .234 | .247 (-6%) | .318 (+5%) | .409 (+3%) | .727 (+4%) | 111.2 |
| 2018 | CLE | AL | 16 | 50 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 10 | .280 | .247 (+13%) | .318 (+26%) | .409 (+27%) | .727 (+26%) | 111.2 |
| 2019 | ATL | NL | 155 | 549 | 96 | 142 | 33 | 0 | 37 | 94 | 4 | 100 | 155 | .259 | .252 (+3%) | .322 (+18%) | .434 (+20%) | .757 (+19%) | 2513.2 |
| 2020 | MIN | AL | 28 | 81 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 18 | 24 | .222 | .244 (-9%) | .321 (+16%) | .417 (+12%) | .739 (+14%) | 244.5 |
| 2021 | MIN | AL | 135 | 457 | 73 | 113 | 26 | 0 | 26 | 72 | 0 | 74 | 114 | .247 | .243 (+1%) | .317 (+11%) | .410 (+16%) | .727 (+14%) | 1323.6 |
| 2022 | NYA | AL | 132 | 478 | 59 | 106 | 28 | 0 | 15 | 62 | 2 | 54 | 148 | .222 | .242 (-9%) | .311 (-1%) | .394 (-5%) | .706 (-3%) | -228.5 |
| 2023 | NYA | AL | 34 | 106 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 12 | 32 | .142 | .248 (-43%) | .320 (-30%) | .414 (+5%) | .734 (-10%) | -231.8 |
| 2023 | MIL | NL | 17 | 59 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 18 | .169 | .248 (-32%) | .320 (-9%) | .414 (-6%) | .734 (-7%) | -231.8 |
| Career · 15 seasons | 1,384 | 5,022 | 816 | 1,310 | 287 | 12 | 279 | 816 | 40 | 725 | 1,221 | .261 | — | — | — | — | 18,124 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | NYA | AL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 1 season | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | — | 0 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 186 | 21 | 46 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 22 | 55 | .247 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | NLWC1 | MIL | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .286 |
| 2022 | ALCS | NYA | 4 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | .077 |
| 2022 | ALDS1 | NYA | 5 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | .250 |
| 2019 | NLDS2 | ATL | 5 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | .158 |
| 2018 | ALDS2 | CLE | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .091 |
| 2016 | ALCS | TOR | 5 | 18 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | .333 |
| 2016 | ALDS1 | TOR | 3 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | .538 |
| 2016 | ALWC | TOR | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .400 |
| 2015 | ALCS | TOR | 6 | 23 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | .261 |
| 2015 | ALDS2 | TOR | 5 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | .222 |
| 2014 | ALWC | OAK | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .400 |
| 2013 | ALDS2 | OAK | 5 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .143 |
| 2012 | ALDS2 | OAK | 5 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .294 |
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1385 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 688 | 2437 | 390 | 635 | 135 | 391 | .261 |
| Away | 696 | 2585 | 426 | 675 | 144 | 425 | .261 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Away | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-10-01 | MIL | CHC | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-09-30 | MIL | CHC | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2023-09-29 | MIL | CHC | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-09-28 | MIL | STL | W | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-09-26 | MIL | STL | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2023-09-24 | MIL | MIA | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023-09-23 | MIL | MIA | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023-09-22 | MIL | MIA | W | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-09-20 | MIL | STL | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-09-19 | MIL | STL | W | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Last 1 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-01 | NYY | STL | — | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 5 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 3B | 1213 | 1204 | 949 | 2336 | 141 | 245 |
| C | 10 | 8 | 64 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | OAK | 1B | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2010 | OAK | C | 7 | 5 | 44 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | OAK | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | OAK | 3B | 71 | 71 | 53 | 152 | 12 | 14 |
| 2012 | OAK | C | 3 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | OAK | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | OAK | 3B | 155 | 156 | 143 | 255 | 16 | 22 |
| 2013 | OAK | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | OAK | 3B | 150 | 146 | 131 | 328 | 23 | 43 |
| 2015 | TOR | 3B | 150 | 150 | 137 | 287 | 18 | 32 |
| 2016 | TOR | 3B | 136 | 135 | 110 | 237 | 14 | 27 |
| 2017 | TOR | 3B | 105 | 103 | 64 | 195 | 14 | 13 |
| 2017 | TOR | SS | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | TOR | 1B | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2018 | TOR | 3B | 26 | 26 | 16 | 49 | 2 | 7 |
| 2018 | CLE | 3B | 12 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 | ATL | 3B | 148 | 148 | 100 | 304 | 13 | 38 |
| 2020 | MIN | 3B | 26 | 25 | 17 | 37 | 0 | 4 |
| 2021 | MIN | 3B | 92 | 92 | 71 | 187 | 13 | 19 |
| 2022 | NYA | 3B | 104 | 102 | 78 | 220 | 12 | 17 |
| 2023 | NYA | 3B | 23 | 23 | 18 | 42 | 1 | 5 |
| 2023 | NYA | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | MIL | 3B | 15 | 15 | 8 | 31 | 1 | 4 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 1 |
| Catcher | 10 |
| First Base | 5 |
| Third Base | 1213 |
| Shortstop | 5 |
| Designated Hitter | 127 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Comeback Player of the Year | |
| 2019 | MLB Players Choice Comeback Player | |
| 2019 | TSN Comeback Player of the Year | |
| 2016 | Player of the Week | Week of 2016-06-18 |
| 2016 | Silver Slugger | 3B |
| 2016 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
| 2015 | Hank Aaron Award | |
| 2015 | MLB Players Choice Outstanding Player | |
| 2015 | MLB Players Choice Player of the Year | |
| 2015 | Most Valuable Player | |
| 2015 | Player of the Week | Week of 2015-05-31 |
| 2015 | Player of the Week | Week of 2015-08-09 |
| 2015 | Silver Slugger | 3B |
| 2015 | TSN Major League Player of the Year | |
| 2015 | This Year in Baseball Best Play - Defense | Esurance |
| 2013 | Player of the Month | September |
| 2013 | Player of the Week | Week of 2013-04-28 |
Salary History
Josh Donaldson's recorded salaries total $17,422,500 over 5 seasons, 2012 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Donaldson's career ran from 2010 to 2023. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2010.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | TOR | AL | $11,650,000 |
| 2015 | TOR | AL | $4,300,000 |
| 2014 | OAK | AL | $500,000 |
| 2013 | OAK | AL | $492,500 |
| 2012 | OAK | AL | $480,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $17,422,500 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University | Auburn | AL | 2005, 2006, 2007 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 11th | 27.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2017 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 22th | 1.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2016 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 200.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2015 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 1st | 385.0 | 420 | 23 |
| 2014 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 96.0 | 420 | 0 |
| 2013 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 222.0 | 420 | 1 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Josh Donaldson (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Josh Donaldson
Josh Donaldson: the record in brief
Between the debut on April 30, 2010 and the final game on October 1, 2023, Josh Donaldson built the record summarized on this page. Donaldson played for the Oakland Athletics (2010 to 2014), the Toronto Blue Jays (2015 to 2018), the Cleveland Indians (2018), the Atlanta Braves (2019), the Minnesota Twins (2020 through 2021), the New York Yankees (2022 through 2023), and the Milwaukee Brewers (2023). Donaldson is listed as a third baseman at 210 pounds on a 6-foot-1 frame. Donaldson batted and threw right-handed, per the bio block. The recorded birth is December 8, 1985, in Pensacola, FL, USA. On the record, Josh Donaldson was born Joshua Adam Donaldson.
Across 1,384 games at the plate, Donaldson's career line reads 1,310 hits in 5,022 at bats for a .261 average, plus 279 home runs, 816 RBI, and 40 stolen bases. The on-base percentage is .358 and the slugging percentage .489, for an OPS of .847.
Frequently Asked Questions about Josh Donaldson
- What years did Josh Donaldson play?
- Josh Donaldson played in Major League Baseball from 2010 to 2023.
- Was Josh Donaldson a pitcher?
- No. Josh Donaldson was a position player (Third Baseman), though he did pitch in 1 career game.
- How many home runs did Josh Donaldson hit?
- Josh Donaldson hit 279 career home runs with 1,310 hits.
- What teams did Josh Donaldson play for?
- Josh Donaldson played for 7 teams: the Oakland Athletics (2010, 2012–2014), the Toronto Blue Jays (2015–2018), the Cleveland Indians (2018), the Atlanta Braves (2019), the Minnesota Twins (2020–2021), the New York Yankees (2022–2023), and the Milwaukee Brewers (2023).
- How many MVP awards did Josh Donaldson win?
- Josh Donaldson won 1 MVP award, in 2015.
- What awards did Josh Donaldson win?
- Josh Donaldson won the MVP award (2015) and 2 Silver Slugger awards (2015 and 2016). He was selected to 3 All-Star Games.
- What were Josh Donaldson's career stats?
- In 1,384 games, Josh Donaldson had 1,310 hits, 279 home runs, 816 RBI, 816 runs, and 40 stolen bases, with a .261 batting average.
- How much did Josh Donaldson earn in his career?
- Josh Donaldson's recorded salaries total $17,422,500 over 5 seasons, 2012 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Donaldson's career ran from 2010 to 2023. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2010.
- What was Josh Donaldson's salary?
- Josh Donaldson's last recorded salary was $11,650,000, in 2016. His highest recorded salary was $11,650,000, in 2016, and his lowest was $480,000, in 2012. The Salary History table lists each season from 2012 to 2016.
- What position did Josh Donaldson play?
- Josh Donaldson played primarily as a third baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Josh Donaldson and how much did he weigh?
- Josh Donaldson was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 210 pounds.
- How many home runs did Josh Donaldson hit each season?
- Josh Donaldson's home runs by season: 1 in 2010, 9 in 2012, 24 in 2013, 29 in 2014, 41 in 2015, 37 in 2016, 33 in 2017, 8 in 2018, 37 in 2019, 6 in 2020, 26 in 2021, 15 in 2022, and 13 in 2023. His most in one season was 41, in 2015.
- What was Josh Donaldson's career batting average?
- Josh Donaldson batted .261 over his career, with 1,310 hits in 5,022 at bats.
- How many RBI did Josh Donaldson have?
- Josh Donaldson drove in 816 runs in his career.