Neftali Feliz vs Jonathan Papelbon: Career Stats Comparison
Jonathan Papelbon has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Jonathan Papelbon played 2005–2016 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 Jonathan Papelbon (2005–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Neftali Feliz finished with 21 wins and 366 strikeouts; Jonathan Papelbon finished with 41 wins and 808 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Neftali Feliz's 3.55.
- Who won more games? Jonathan Papelbon, with 41 to Neftali Feliz's 21.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jonathan Papelbon, with 808 to Neftali Feliz's 366.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Neftali Feliz's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Jonathan Papelbon, with 725.2 to Neftali Feliz's 393.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jonathan Papelbon, with 24,416 career Pitcher PIV to Neftali Feliz's 345.
Neftali Feliz
Jonathan Papelbon
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 | Neftali Feliz | Jonathan Papelbon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 21 | Leads: 41 |
| Losses not scored | 20 | 36 |
| Games | 362 | Leads: 689 |
| Games Started | Leads: 7 | 3 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 107 | Leads: 368 |
| Strikeouts | 366 | Leads: 808 |
| Walks not scored | 155 | 185 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 293 | 572 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 46 | 57 |
| Innings Pitched | 393.1 | Leads: 725.2 |
| ERA | 3.55 | Leads: 2.44 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 8.37 | Leads: 10.02 |
| BB/9 | 3.55 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jonathan Papelbon outpaces Neftali Feliz 24,416 to 345 — driven by per-season impact — 1,878 PIV per season to 27 — rather than by longevity, since Jonathan Papelbon played 13 seasons to Neftali Feliz's 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.
Jonathan Papelbon
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jonathan Papelbon 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 Jonathan Papelbon. PIV agrees: Jonathan Papelbon 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 Jonathan Papelbon careers compare
The careers of Neftali Feliz (2009–2021) and Jonathan Papelbon (2005–2016) overlapped from 2009 to 2016, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Neftali Feliz appeared in 362 games to Jonathan Papelbon's 689. Where Neftali Feliz comes out ahead, it is in starts (7 to 3) and complete games (1 to 0). By rate, Neftali Feliz struck out 8.37 and walked 3.55 per nine innings; Jonathan Papelbon struck out 10.02 and walked 2.29. Neftali Feliz worked mostly in relief (7 starts in 362 games, 107 saves), and Jonathan Papelbon worked mostly in relief (3 starts in 689 games, 368 saves).
Neftali Feliz vs Jonathan Papelbon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Neftali Feliz or Jonathan Papelbon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jonathan Papelbon leads Neftali Feliz in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Neftali Feliz's 3.55.
- Who won more games?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 41 to Neftali Feliz's 21.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 808 to Neftali Feliz's 366.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Neftali Feliz's 1.14.