Heath Bell vs Jose Valverde: Career Stats Comparison
Jose Valverde has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Heath Bell played 2004–2014 as a pitcher; Jose Valverde played 2003–2014 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Heath Bell (2004–2014) and Jose Valverde (2003–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Heath Bell finished with 38 wins and 637 strikeouts; Jose Valverde finished with 27 wins and 692 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jose Valverde, with 3.27 to Heath Bell's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Heath Bell, with 38 to Jose Valverde's 27.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jose Valverde, with 692 to Heath Bell's 637.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jose Valverde, with 1.20 to Heath Bell's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Jose Valverde, with 630.1 to Heath Bell's 628.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Heath Bell, with 16,481 career Pitcher PIV to Jose Valverde's 9,113.
Jose Valverde
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. 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 | Heath Bell | Jose Valverde |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 38 | 27 |
| Losses not scored | 32 | 33 |
| Games | 590 | Leads: 626 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 168 | Leads: 288 |
| Strikeouts | 637 | Leads: 692 |
| Walks not scored | 214 | 264 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 584 | 490 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 48 | 67 |
| Innings Pitched | 628.2 | Leads: 630.1 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.27 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.20 |
| K/9 | 9.12 | Leads: 9.88 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.06 | 3.77 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Heath Bell outpaces Jose Valverde 16,481 to 9,113 — driven by per-season impact — 1,498 PIV per season to 759 — rather than by longevity, since Heath Bell played 11 seasons to Jose Valverde's 12. 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 ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Heath Bell
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Jose Valverde
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jose Valverde leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Heath Bell owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jose Valverde. Note that PIV actually grades Heath Bell ahead, which means Jose Valverde's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Heath Bell and Jose Valverde careers compare
Heath Bell and Jose Valverde were active at the same time between 2004 and 2014. The two careers are close in length, 590 games for Heath Bell and 626 for Jose Valverde across 11 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Heath Bell comes out ahead, it is in wins (38 to 27) and walks per nine (3.06 to 3.77). The per-nine rows read 9.12 strikeouts and 3.06 walks for Heath Bell, 9.88 and 3.77 for Jose Valverde. Heath Bell worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 590 games, 168 saves), and Jose Valverde worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 626 games, 288 saves).
Heath Bell vs Jose Valverde: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Heath Bell or Jose Valverde?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jose Valverde leads Heath Bell in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jose Valverde, with 3.27 to Heath Bell's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Heath Bell, with 38 to Jose Valverde's 27.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jose Valverde, with 692 to Heath Bell's 637.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jose Valverde, with 1.20 to Heath Bell's 1.27.