Neftali Feliz vs Joe Nathan: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Nathan has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Neftali Feliz played 2009–2021 as a pitcher; Joe Nathan played 1999–2016 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
Neftali Feliz (2009–2021) and Joe Nathan (1999–2016) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Neftali Feliz finished with 21 wins and 366 strikeouts; Joe Nathan finished with 64 wins and 976 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Joe Nathan, with 2.87 to Neftali Feliz's 3.55.
- Who won more games? Joe Nathan, with 64 to Neftali Feliz's 21.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Joe Nathan, with 976 to Neftali Feliz's 366.
- Who had the better WHIP? Joe Nathan, with 1.12 to Neftali Feliz's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Joe Nathan, with 923.1 to Neftali Feliz's 393.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Joe Nathan, with 22,319 career Pitcher PIV to Neftali Feliz's 345.
Neftali Feliz
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 2000s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Neftali Feliz | Joe Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 21 | Leads: 64 |
| Losses not scored | 20 | 34 |
| Games | 362 | Leads: 787 |
| Games Started | 7 | Leads: 29 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 107 | Leads: 377 |
| Strikeouts | 366 | Leads: 976 |
| Walks not scored | 155 | 344 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 293 | 690 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 46 | 84 |
| Innings Pitched | 393.1 | Leads: 923.1 |
| ERA | 3.55 | Leads: 2.87 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 8.37 | Leads: 9.51 |
| BB/9 | 3.55 | Leads: 3.35 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Nathan outpaces Neftali Feliz 22,319 to 345 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,313 PIV per season to 27, across 17 seasons to 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).
Neftali Feliz
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Joe Nathan
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Nathan leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Neftali Feliz owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Nathan. PIV agrees: Joe Nathan grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Neftali Feliz and Joe Nathan careers compare
Neftali Feliz and Joe Nathan were active at the same time between 2009 and 2016. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Neftali Feliz appeared in 362 games to Joe Nathan's 787. The green cells for Neftali Feliz are complete games (1 to 0). The per-nine rows read 8.37 strikeouts and 3.55 walks for Neftali Feliz, 9.51 and 3.35 for Joe Nathan. Neftali Feliz worked mostly in relief (7 starts in 362 games, 107 saves), and Joe Nathan worked mostly in relief (29 starts in 787 games, 377 saves). In WHIP, Joe Nathan's 1.12 beats Neftali Feliz's 1.14.
Neftali Feliz vs Joe Nathan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Neftali Feliz or Joe Nathan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Nathan leads Neftali Feliz in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe Nathan, with 2.87 to Neftali Feliz's 3.55.
- Who won more games?
- Joe Nathan, with 64 to Neftali Feliz's 21.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Joe Nathan, with 976 to Neftali Feliz's 366.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Joe Nathan, with 1.12 to Neftali Feliz's 1.14.