Emmanuel Clase vs Willie Hernandez: Career Stats Comparison
Emmanuel Clase and Willie Hernandez are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 5–5 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Emmanuel Clase played 2019–2025 as a pitcher; Willie Hernandez played 1977–1989 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
Emmanuel Clase (2019–2025) and Willie Hernandez (1977–1989) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Emmanuel Clase finished with 21 wins and 349 strikeouts; Willie Hernandez finished with 70 wins and 788 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Emmanuel Clase, with 1.88 to Willie Hernandez's 3.38.
- Who won more games? Willie Hernandez, with 70 to Emmanuel Clase's 21.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Willie Hernandez, with 788 to Emmanuel Clase's 349.
- Who had the better WHIP? Emmanuel Clase, with 0.94 to Willie Hernandez's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Willie Hernandez, with 1,044.2 to Emmanuel Clase's 360.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Emmanuel Clase, with 15,946 career Pitcher PIV to Willie Hernandez's 10,045.
Emmanuel Clase
Willie Hernandez
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, and the 2010s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Emmanuel Clase | Willie Hernandez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 21 | Leads: 70 |
| Losses not scored | 26 | 63 |
| Games | 366 | Leads: 744 |
| Games Started | 1 | Leads: 11 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 182 | 147 |
| Strikeouts | 349 | Leads: 788 |
| Walks not scored | 70 | 349 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 267 | 952 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 15 | 97 |
| Innings Pitched | 360.0 | Leads: 1,044.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 1.88 | 3.38 |
| WHIP | Leads: 0.94 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.72 | 6.79 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.75 | 3.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Emmanuel Clase outpaces Willie Hernandez 15,946 to 10,045 — driven by per-season impact — 2,658 PIV per season to 718 — rather than by longevity, since Emmanuel Clase played 6 seasons to Willie Hernandez's 14. 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).
Emmanuel Clase
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Willie Hernandez — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Emmanuel Clase leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Willie Hernandez owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Emmanuel Clase. PIV agrees: Emmanuel Clase grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Emmanuel Clase and Willie Hernandez careers compare
No season is shared: Willie Hernandez played 1977–1989, Emmanuel Clase 2019–2025. The table compares 366 games of Emmanuel Clase with 744 of Willie Hernandez across 6 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The per-nine rows read 8.72 strikeouts and 1.75 walks for Emmanuel Clase, 6.79 and 3.01 for Willie Hernandez. Emmanuel Clase worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 366 games, 182 saves), and Willie Hernandez worked mostly in relief (11 starts in 744 games, 147 saves). Emmanuel Clase allowed fewer baserunners, a 0.94 WHIP to Willie Hernandez's 1.25. Emmanuel Clase has no qualifying season for the peak list, while Willie Hernandez's best is 1984.
Emmanuel Clase vs Willie Hernandez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Emmanuel Clase, with 1.88 to Willie Hernandez's 3.38.
- Who won more games?
- Willie Hernandez, with 70 to Emmanuel Clase's 21.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Willie Hernandez, with 788 to Emmanuel Clase's 349.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Emmanuel Clase, with 0.94 to Willie Hernandez's 1.25.