Kelvim Escobar vs Kerry Wood: Career Stats Comparison
Kerry Wood has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Kelvim Escobar played 1997–2009 as a pitcher; Kerry Wood played 1998–2012 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
Kelvim Escobar (1997–2009) and Kerry Wood (1998–2012) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Kelvim Escobar finished with 101 wins and 1,310 strikeouts; Kerry Wood finished with 86 wins and 1,582 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Kerry Wood, with 3.67 to Kelvim Escobar's 4.15.
- Who won more games? Kelvim Escobar, with 101 to Kerry Wood's 86.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Kerry Wood, with 1,582 to Kelvim Escobar's 1,310.
- Who had the better WHIP? Kerry Wood, with 1.27 to Kelvim Escobar's 1.37.
- Who pitched more innings? Kelvim Escobar, with 1,507.0 to Kerry Wood's 1,380.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Kerry Wood, with 5 to Kelvim Escobar's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Kelvim Escobar, with 25,219 career Pitcher PIV to Kerry Wood's 20,852.
Kelvim Escobar
Kerry Wood
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 | Kelvim Escobar | Kerry Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 101 | 86 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 75 |
| Games | 411 | Leads: 446 |
| Games Started | Leads: 202 | 178 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 11 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | 59 | Leads: 63 |
| Strikeouts | 1,310 | Leads: 1,582 |
| Walks not scored | 611 | 666 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,461 | 1,083 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 137 | 148 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,507.0 | 1,380.0 |
| ERA | 4.15 | Leads: 3.67 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | Leads: 1.27 |
| K/9 | 7.82 | Leads: 10.32 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.65 | 4.34 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kelvim Escobar leads Kerry Wood 25,219 to 20,852 — driven by per-season impact — 2,102 PIV per season to 1,390 — rather than by longevity, since Kelvim Escobar played 12 seasons to Kerry Wood's 15. 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).
Kelvim Escobar — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Kerry Wood — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kerry Wood leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Kelvim Escobar owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kerry Wood. Note that PIV actually grades Kelvim Escobar ahead, which means Kerry Wood's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kelvim Escobar and Kerry Wood careers compare
Kelvim Escobar and Kerry Wood were active at the same time between 1998 and 2009. The two careers are close in length, 411 games for Kelvim Escobar and 446 for Kerry Wood across 12 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Kelvim Escobar comes out ahead, it is in wins (101 to 86), starts (202 to 178), and innings (1,507.0 to 1,380.0). The per-nine rows read 7.82 strikeouts and 3.65 walks for Kelvim Escobar, 10.32 and 4.34 for Kerry Wood. Kelvim Escobar split time between starting and relief (202 starts in 411 games), and Kerry Wood split time between starting and relief (178 starts in 446 games).
Kelvim Escobar vs Kerry Wood: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kelvim Escobar or Kerry Wood?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Kerry Wood leads Kelvim Escobar in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Kerry Wood, with 3.67 to Kelvim Escobar's 4.15.
- Who won more games?
- Kelvim Escobar, with 101 to Kerry Wood's 86.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Kerry Wood, with 1,582 to Kelvim Escobar's 1,310.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Kerry Wood, with 1.27 to Kelvim Escobar's 1.37.