A. J. Burnett vs Roy Oswalt: Career Stats Comparison
A. J. Burnett (1999–2015) and Roy Oswalt (2001–2013) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. A. J. Burnett compiled 164 wins and 2,513 strikeouts; Roy Oswalt put up 163 wins and 1,852 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
A. J. Burnett
Roy Oswalt
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | A. J. Burnett | Roy Oswalt |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 164 | 163 |
| Losses | 157 | 102 |
| Games | 435 | 365 |
| Games Started | 430 | 341 |
| Complete Games | 24 | 20 |
| Shutouts | 10 | 8 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,513 | 1,852 |
| Walks | 1,100 | 520 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,519 | 2,199 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 263 | 197 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,731 | 2,245 |
| ERA | 3.99 | 3.36 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | 8.28 | 7.42 |
| BB/9 | 3.62 | 2.08 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Oswalt outpaces A. J. Burnett 55,095 to 24,537 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,935 vs 1,443 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
A. J. Burnett — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Roy Oswalt — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, A. J. Burnett leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Roy Oswalt owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to A. J. Burnett. Note that PIV actually grades Roy Oswalt ahead, which means A. J. Burnett's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.