Octavio Dotel vs Ryan Madson: Career Stats Comparison
Octavio Dotel 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; Ryan Madson played 2003–2018 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 Ryan Madson (2003–2018) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Octavio Dotel finished with 59 wins and 1,143 strikeouts; Ryan Madson finished with 61 wins and 775 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ryan Madson, with 3.48 to Octavio Dotel's 3.78.
- Who won more games? Ryan Madson, with 61 to Octavio Dotel's 59.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Octavio Dotel, with 1,143 to Ryan Madson's 775.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Octavio Dotel, with 951.0 to Ryan Madson's 869.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Octavio Dotel, with 16,440 career Pitcher PIV to Ryan Madson's 15,272.
Octavio Dotel
Ryan Madson
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 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Octavio Dotel | Ryan Madson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 59 | Leads: 61 |
| Losses not scored | 50 | 48 |
| Games | Leads: 758 | 740 |
| Games Started | Leads: 34 | 18 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 109 | 91 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,143 | 775 |
| Walks not scored | 412 | 250 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 765 | 830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 117 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 951.0 | 869.2 |
| ERA | 3.78 | Leads: 3.48 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.24 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.82 | 8.02 |
| BB/9 | 3.90 | Leads: 2.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Octavio Dotel edges Ryan Madson 16,440 to 15,272 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Octavio Dotel played 20 seasons to Ryan Madson's 15, while Ryan Madson carries the higher per-season figure (1,018 to 822). 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)
Ryan Madson — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Octavio Dotel leads in strikeouts, WHIP, K/9, and innings pitched, while Ryan Madson owns wins and ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Octavio Dotel. PIV agrees: Octavio Dotel 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 Ryan Madson careers compare
The careers of Octavio Dotel (1999–2013) and Ryan Madson (2003–2018) overlapped from 2003 to 2013, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 758 games against 740 across 20 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Ryan Madson comes out ahead, it is in wins (61 to 59), ERA (3.48 to 3.78), and walks per nine (2.59 to 3.90). The per-nine rows read 10.82 strikeouts and 3.90 walks for Octavio Dotel, 8.02 and 2.59 for Ryan Madson.
Octavio Dotel vs Ryan Madson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Octavio Dotel or Ryan Madson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Octavio Dotel leads Ryan Madson in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ryan Madson, with 3.48 to Octavio Dotel's 3.78.
- Who won more games?
- Ryan Madson, with 61 to Octavio Dotel's 59.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Octavio Dotel, with 1,143 to Ryan Madson's 775.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.24.