Wade Davis vs Jonathan Papelbon: Career Stats Comparison
Wade Davis and Jonathan Papelbon are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Wade Davis played 2009–2021 as a pitcher; Jonathan Papelbon played 2005–2016 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
Wade Davis (2009–2021) and Jonathan Papelbon (2005–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Wade Davis finished with 63 wins and 929 strikeouts; Jonathan Papelbon finished with 41 wins and 808 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Wade Davis's 3.94.
- Who won more games? Wade Davis, with 63 to Jonathan Papelbon's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Wade Davis, with 929 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Wade Davis's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? Wade Davis, with 990.1 to Jonathan Papelbon's 725.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Wade Davis, with 1 to Jonathan Papelbon's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jonathan Papelbon, with 24,416 career Pitcher PIV to Wade Davis's 5,777.
Jonathan Papelbon
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 | Wade Davis | Jonathan Papelbon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 63 | 41 |
| Losses not scored | 55 | 36 |
| Games | 557 | Leads: 689 |
| Games Started | Leads: 88 | 3 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Saves | 141 | Leads: 368 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 929 | 808 |
| Walks not scored | 389 | 185 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 895 | 572 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 104 | 57 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 990.1 | 725.2 |
| ERA | 3.94 | Leads: 2.44 |
| WHIP | 1.30 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 8.44 | Leads: 10.02 |
| BB/9 | 3.54 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jonathan Papelbon outpaces Wade Davis 24,416 to 5,777 — driven by per-season impact — 1,878 PIV per season to 444 — rather than by longevity, since Jonathan Papelbon played 13 seasons to Wade Davis's 13. 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).
Wade Davis — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jonathan Papelbon
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jonathan Papelbon leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Wade Davis owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jonathan Papelbon. PIV agrees: Jonathan Papelbon grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Wade Davis and Jonathan Papelbon careers compare
The careers of Wade Davis (2009–2021) and Jonathan Papelbon (2005–2016) overlapped from 2009 to 2016, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 557 games against 689 across 13 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Wade Davis struck out 8.44 and walked 3.54 per nine innings; Jonathan Papelbon struck out 10.02 and walked 2.29. Both had the same role: Wade Davis worked mostly in relief (88 starts in 557 games, 141 saves); Jonathan Papelbon worked mostly in relief (3 starts in 689 games, 368 saves). Jonathan Papelbon allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to Wade Davis's 1.30.
Wade Davis vs Jonathan Papelbon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Wade Davis's 3.94.
- Who won more games?
- Wade Davis, with 63 to Jonathan Papelbon's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Wade Davis, with 929 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Wade Davis's 1.30.