Kelvim Escobar vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Kelvim Escobar (1997–2009) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Kelvim Escobar compiled 101 wins and 1,310 strikeouts; Billy Wagner put up 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Kelvim Escobar
Billy Wagner
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 | Kelvim Escobar | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 101 | 47 |
| Losses | 91 | 40 |
| Games | 411 | 853 |
| Games Started | 202 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 10 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 59 | 422 |
| Strikeouts | 1,310 | 1,196 |
| Walks | 611 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,461 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 137 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,507 | 903 |
| ERA | 4.15 | 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | 1.00 |
| K/9 | 7.82 | 11.92 |
| BB/9 | 3.65 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner outpaces Kelvim Escobar 38,470 to 25,219 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,263 vs 2,102 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).
Kelvim Escobar — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Billy Wagner — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Wagner leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Kelvim Escobar owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Wagner. PIV agrees: Billy Wagner grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.