John Franco vs Francisco Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Francisco Rodriguez has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). John Franco played 1984–2005 as a pitcher; Francisco Rodriguez played 2002–2017 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
John Franco (1984–2005) and Francisco Rodriguez (2002–2017) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. John Franco finished with 90 wins and 975 strikeouts; Francisco Rodriguez finished with 52 wins and 1,142 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Francisco Rodriguez, with 2.86 to John Franco's 2.89.
- Who won more games? John Franco, with 90 to Francisco Rodriguez's 52.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Francisco Rodriguez, with 1,142 to John Franco's 975.
- Who had the better WHIP? Francisco Rodriguez, with 1.15 to John Franco's 1.33.
- Who pitched more innings? John Franco, with 1,245.2 to Francisco Rodriguez's 976.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Franco, with 22,498 career Pitcher PIV to Francisco Rodriguez's 21,669.
John Franco
Francisco Rodriguez
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 1980s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | John Franco | Francisco Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 90 | 52 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 53 |
| Games | Leads: 1,119 | 948 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 424 | Leads: 437 |
| Strikeouts | 975 | Leads: 1,142 |
| Walks not scored | 495 | 389 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,166 | 738 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 81 | 98 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,245.2 | 976.0 |
| ERA | 2.89 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.33 | Leads: 1.15 |
| K/9 | 7.04 | Leads: 10.53 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.58 | 3.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Franco edges Francisco Rodriguez 22,498 to 21,669 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John Franco played 21 seasons to Francisco Rodriguez's 18, while Francisco Rodriguez carries the higher per-season figure (1,204 to 1,071). 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).
John Franco
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Francisco Rodriguez
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Francisco Rodriguez leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while John Franco owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Francisco Rodriguez. Note that PIV actually grades John Franco ahead, which means Francisco Rodriguez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the John Franco and Francisco Rodriguez careers compare
John Franco and Francisco Rodriguez were active at the same time between 2002 and 2005. With 1,119 games against 948 across 21 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for John Franco are wins (90 to 52), games (1,119 to 948), and innings (1,245.2 to 976.0). By rate, John Franco struck out 7.04 and walked 3.58 per nine innings; Francisco Rodriguez struck out 10.53 and walked 3.59. John Franco worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 1,119 games, 424 saves), and Francisco Rodriguez worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 948 games, 437 saves). Francisco Rodriguez allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.15 WHIP to John Franco's 1.33.
John Franco vs Francisco Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, John Franco or Francisco Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Francisco Rodriguez leads John Franco in 5 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 2.86 to John Franco's 2.89.
- Who won more games?
- John Franco, with 90 to Francisco Rodriguez's 52.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 1,142 to John Franco's 975.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 1.15 to John Franco's 1.33.