Octavio Dotel vs Kelvim Escobar: Career Stats Comparison
Kelvim Escobar 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). Octavio Dotel played 1999–2013 as a pitcher; Kelvim Escobar played 1997–2009 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
Octavio Dotel (1999–2013) and Kelvim Escobar (1997–2009) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Octavio Dotel finished with 59 wins and 1,143 strikeouts; Kelvim Escobar finished with 101 wins and 1,310 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Octavio Dotel, with 3.78 to Kelvim Escobar's 4.15.
- Who won more games? Kelvim Escobar, with 101 to Octavio Dotel's 59.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Kelvim Escobar, with 1,310 to Octavio Dotel's 1,143.
- Who had the better WHIP? Octavio Dotel, with 1.24 to Kelvim Escobar's 1.37.
- Who pitched more innings? Kelvim Escobar, with 1,507.0 to Octavio Dotel's 951.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Kelvim Escobar, with 4 to Octavio Dotel's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Kelvim Escobar, with 25,219 career Pitcher PIV to Octavio Dotel's 16,440.
Octavio Dotel
Kelvim Escobar
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 | Octavio Dotel | Kelvim Escobar |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 59 | Leads: 101 |
| Losses not scored | 50 | 91 |
| Games | Leads: 758 | 411 |
| Games Started | 34 | Leads: 202 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 10 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 4 |
| Saves | Leads: 109 | 59 |
| Strikeouts | 1,143 | Leads: 1,310 |
| Walks not scored | 412 | 611 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 765 | 1,461 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 117 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | 951.0 | Leads: 1,507.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.78 | 4.15 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.24 | 1.37 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.82 | 7.82 |
| BB/9 | 3.90 | Leads: 3.65 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kelvim Escobar outpaces Octavio Dotel 25,219 to 16,440 — driven by per-season impact — 2,102 PIV per season to 822 — rather than by longevity, since Kelvim Escobar played 12 seasons to Octavio Dotel's 20. 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).
Octavio Dotel — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Kelvim Escobar — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kelvim Escobar leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Octavio Dotel owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kelvim Escobar. PIV agrees: Kelvim Escobar grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Octavio Dotel and Kelvim Escobar careers compare
The careers of Octavio Dotel (1999–2013) and Kelvim Escobar (1997–2009) overlapped from 1999 to 2009, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Octavio Dotel appeared in 758 games to Kelvim Escobar's 411. The per-nine rows read 10.82 strikeouts and 3.90 walks for Octavio Dotel, 7.82 and 3.65 for Kelvim Escobar. Their roles differ: Octavio Dotel worked mostly in relief (34 starts in 758 games, 109 saves); Kelvim Escobar split time between starting and relief (202 starts in 411 games). In WHIP, Octavio Dotel's 1.24 beats Kelvim Escobar's 1.37.
Octavio Dotel vs Kelvim Escobar: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Octavio Dotel or Kelvim Escobar?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Kelvim Escobar leads Octavio Dotel in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Octavio Dotel, with 3.78 to Kelvim Escobar's 4.15.
- Who won more games?
- Kelvim Escobar, with 101 to Octavio Dotel's 59.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Kelvim Escobar, with 1,310 to Octavio Dotel's 1,143.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Octavio Dotel, with 1.24 to Kelvim Escobar's 1.37.