Eric Gagne vs Jose Valverde: Career Stats Comparison
Eric Gagne has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Eric Gagne played 1999–2008 as a pitcher; Jose Valverde played 2003–2014 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
Eric Gagne (1999–2008) and Jose Valverde (2003–2014) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Eric Gagne finished with 33 wins and 718 strikeouts; Jose Valverde finished with 27 wins and 692 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jose Valverde, with 3.27 to Eric Gagne's 3.47.
- Who won more games? Eric Gagne, with 33 to Jose Valverde's 27.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eric Gagne, with 718 to Jose Valverde's 692.
- Who had the better WHIP? Eric Gagne, with 1.16 to Jose Valverde's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Eric Gagne, with 643.2 to Jose Valverde's 630.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eric Gagne, with 14,441 career Pitcher PIV to Jose Valverde's 9,113.
Jose Valverde
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 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eric Gagne | Jose Valverde |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 33 | 27 |
| Losses not scored | 26 | 33 |
| Games | 402 | Leads: 626 |
| Games Started | Leads: 48 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 187 | Leads: 288 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 718 | 692 |
| Walks not scored | 226 | 264 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 518 | 490 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 76 | 67 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 643.2 | 630.1 |
| ERA | 3.47 | Leads: 3.27 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.16 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.04 | 9.88 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.16 | 3.77 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eric Gagne outpaces Jose Valverde 14,441 to 9,113 — driven by per-season impact — 1,313 PIV per season to 759 — rather than by longevity, since Eric Gagne played 11 seasons to Jose Valverde's 12. 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).
Eric Gagne — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Jose Valverde
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eric Gagne leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Jose Valverde owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eric Gagne. PIV agrees: Eric Gagne grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Eric Gagne and Jose Valverde careers compare
From 2003 through 2008, Eric Gagne and Jose Valverde were in the majors together. Jose Valverde has the far longer record, 626 games against 402 across 11 and 12 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Jose Valverde's edges on the table are games (626 to 402), saves (288 to 187), and ERA (3.27 to 3.47). By rate, Eric Gagne struck out 10.04 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Jose Valverde struck out 9.88 and walked 3.77. Both had the same role: Eric Gagne worked mostly in relief (48 starts in 402 games, 187 saves); Jose Valverde worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 626 games, 288 saves).
Eric Gagne vs Jose Valverde: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eric Gagne or Jose Valverde?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eric Gagne leads Jose Valverde in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jose Valverde, with 3.27 to Eric Gagne's 3.47.
- Who won more games?
- Eric Gagne, with 33 to Jose Valverde's 27.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eric Gagne, with 718 to Jose Valverde's 692.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Eric Gagne, with 1.16 to Jose Valverde's 1.20.