Michael Saunders
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (2009-2017)
Michael Saunders was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 2009 to 2017 for the Seattle Mariners, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Philadelphia Phillies, a span of 9 seasons. In 775 career games, he hit .232 with 570 hits, 81 home runs, and 263 RBI. Michael Saunders was an All-Star.
- 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'4" / 225 lb
- MLB Debut
- 2009-07-25
- Last Game
- 2017-10-01
- Awards
- All-Star
Full name: Michael Edward Brett Saunders
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 775 | 2,455 | 324 | 570 | 123 | 19 | 81 | 263 | 55 | 255 | 711 | .232 | .305 | .397 | .701 | -941 |
Career AVG .232 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — 9.1% below league average.
Career OBP .305 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — 5.2% below league average.
Career SLG .397 vs. league average .406 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .701 vs. league average .728 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | SEA | AL | 46 | 122 | 13 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 40 | .221 | .262 (-16%) | .332 (-23%) | .417 (-33%) | .750 (-29%) | -582.0 |
| 2010 | SEA | AL | 100 | 289 | 29 | 61 | 11 | 2 | 10 | 33 | 6 | 35 | 84 | .211 | .257 (-18%) | .325 (-9%) | .402 (-9%) | .728 (-9%) | -420.9 |
| 2011 | SEA | AL | 58 | 161 | 16 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 56 | .149 | .255 (-42%) | .320 (-35%) | .399 (-46%) | .719 (-41%) | -1058.3 |
| 2012 | SEA | AL | 139 | 507 | 71 | 125 | 31 | 3 | 19 | 57 | 21 | 43 | 132 | .247 | .254 (-3%) | .318 (-4%) | .405 (+7%) | .724 (+2%) | 115.6 |
| 2013 | SEA | AL | 132 | 406 | 59 | 96 | 23 | 3 | 12 | 46 | 13 | 54 | 118 | .236 | .253 (-7%) | .317 (+2%) | .396 (avg) | .714 (+1%) | 78.2 |
| 2014 | SEA | AL | 78 | 231 | 38 | 63 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 34 | 4 | 26 | 59 | .273 | .251 (+9%) | .313 (+9%) | .386 (+17%) | .700 (+13%) | 510.7 |
| 2015 | TOR | AL | 9 | 31 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 10 | .194 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 2016 | TOR | AL | 140 | 490 | 70 | 124 | 32 | 3 | 24 | 57 | 1 | 59 | 157 | .253 | .255 (-1%) | .321 (+5%) | .417 (+14%) | .738 (+10%) | 1033.3 |
| 2017 | PHI | NL | 61 | 200 | 25 | 41 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 20 | 0 | 13 | 51 | .205 | .254 (-20%) | .324 (-21%) | .425 (-15%) | .750 (-18%) | -617.8 |
| 2017 | TOR | AL | 12 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .167 | — | — | — | — | -617.8 |
| Career · 10 seasons | 775 | 2,455 | 324 | 570 | 123 | 19 | 81 | 263 | 55 | 255 | 711 | .232 | — | — | — | — | -1,559 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (775 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 381 | 1153 | 155 | 263 | 37 | 114 | .228 |
| Away | 394 | 1302 | 169 | 307 | 44 | 149 | .236 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-10-01 | TOR | NYY | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017-09-29 | TOR | NYY | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2017-09-27 | TOR | BOS | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017-09-21 | TOR | KCR | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017-09-20 | TOR | KCR | L | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017-09-17 | TOR | MIN | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017-09-14 | TOR | MIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017-09-08 | TOR | DET | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017-09-06 | TOR | BOS | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017-09-05 | TOR | BOS | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 712 | 652 | 1419 | 34 | 13 | 8 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | SEA | OF | 39 | 34 | 89 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 | SEA | OF | 89 | 85 | 197 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| 2011 | SEA | OF | 56 | 47 | 139 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | SEA | OF | 136 | 133 | 315 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| 2013 | SEA | OF | 126 | 109 | 255 | 7 | 1 | 2 |
| 2014 | SEA | OF | 71 | 61 | 127 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | TOR | OF | 9 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | TOR | OF | 128 | 122 | 188 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | PHI | OF | 52 | 49 | 91 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | TOR | OF | 6 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 288 |
| Center Field | 264 |
| Right Field | 189 |
| Designated Hitter | 27 |
Salary History
Michael Saunders's recorded salaries total $9,496,700 over 6 seasons, 2011 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Saunders's career ran from 2009 to 2017. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2009 and 2010.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | TOR | AL | $2,900,000 |
| 2015 | TOR | AL | $2,875,000 |
| 2014 | SEA | AL | $2,300,000 |
| 2013 | SEA | AL | $512,600 |
| 2012 | SEA | AL | $489,100 |
| 2011 | SEA | AL | $420,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $9,496,700 | ||
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Michael Saunders (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Michael Saunders: the record in brief
According to the bio, Michael Saunders debuted on July 25, 2009 and played a final game on October 1, 2017. Saunders played for the Seattle Mariners (2009 through 2014), the Toronto Blue Jays (2015 to 2017), and the Philadelphia Phillies (2017). The bio lists Saunders as an outfielder who threw right-handed and batted left-handed. The recorded size is 6'4" and 225 pounds. Saunders was born on November 19, 1986, in Victoria, BC, CAN. The bio lists the given name Michael Edward Brett.
Saunders's career batting table shows 775 games, 2,455 at bats and 570 hits, a .232 average, adding 81 home runs, 263 runs batted in, and 55 stolen bases. On-base and slugging figures of .305 and .397 give Saunders a career OPS of .701. Set against a .255 league average for the same years, Saunders's .232 average sits 9.1% below it. No season beat the 24 home runs Saunders hit in 2016. Saunders collected a career-high 125 hits in 2012. The RBI column peaks at 57 in 2012.
Frequently Asked Questions about Michael Saunders
- What years did Michael Saunders play?
- Michael Saunders played in Major League Baseball from 2009 to 2017.
- Was Michael Saunders a pitcher?
- No. Michael Saunders was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Michael Saunders hit?
- Michael Saunders hit 81 career home runs with 570 hits.
- What teams did Michael Saunders play for?
- Michael Saunders played for 3 teams: the Seattle Mariners (2009–2014), the Toronto Blue Jays (2015–2017), and the Philadelphia Phillies (2017).
- Did Michael Saunders win an MVP award?
- No. Michael Saunders did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Michael Saunders win?
- Michael Saunders was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
- What were Michael Saunders's career stats?
- In 775 games, Michael Saunders had 570 hits, 81 home runs, 263 RBI, 324 runs, and 55 stolen bases, with a .232 batting average.
- How much did Michael Saunders earn in his career?
- Michael Saunders's recorded salaries total $9,496,700 over 6 seasons, 2011 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Saunders's career ran from 2009 to 2017. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2009 and 2010.
- What was Michael Saunders's salary?
- Michael Saunders's last recorded salary was $2,900,000, in 2016. His highest recorded salary was $2,900,000, in 2016, and his lowest was $420,000, in 2011. The Salary History table lists each season from 2011 to 2016.
- What position did Michael Saunders play?
- Michael Saunders played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Michael Saunders and how much did he weigh?
- Michael Saunders was listed at 6 feet 4 inches and 225 pounds.
- How many home runs did Michael Saunders hit each season?
- Michael Saunders's home runs by season: 0 in 2009, 10 in 2010, 2 in 2011, 19 in 2012, 12 in 2013, 8 in 2014, 0 in 2015, 24 in 2016, and 6 in 2017. His most in one season was 24, in 2016.
- What was Michael Saunders's career batting average?
- Michael Saunders batted .232 over his career, with 570 hits in 2,455 at bats.
- How many RBI did Michael Saunders have?
- Michael Saunders drove in 263 runs in his career.