Zack Greinke vs Roy Oswalt: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Zack Greinke played 2004–2023 as a pitcher; Roy Oswalt played 2001–2013 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
Zack Greinke (2004–2023) and Roy Oswalt (2001–2013) — both debuted in the 2000s. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Roy Oswalt finished with 163 wins and 1,852 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Zack Greinke, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Roy Oswalt's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Roy Oswalt's 1,852.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.
- How many innings did each pitch? Zack Greinke 3,389.1, Roy Oswalt 2,245.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roy Oswalt, with 8 to Zack Greinke's 5.
Zack Greinke
Roy Oswalt
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Zack Greinke | Roy Oswalt |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 163 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 102 |
| Games not scored | 586 | 365 |
| Games Started not scored | 541 | 341 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 20 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 8 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 1,852 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 520 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 2,199 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 197 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,389.1 | 2,245.1 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.36 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.91 | 7.42 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.08 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke edges Roy Oswalt 58,246 to 55,095 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Greinke played 20 seasons to Roy Oswalt's 13, while Roy Oswalt carries the higher per-season figure (4,238 to 2,912). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Zack Greinke — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Roy Oswalt — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Zack Greinke leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, strikeouts, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. Roy Oswalt leads 3: complete games, shutouts, and ERA. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Greinke. PIV agrees: Zack Greinke grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Zack Greinke and Roy Oswalt careers compare
Zack Greinke and Roy Oswalt were active at the same time between 2004 and 2013. The table compares 586 games of Zack Greinke with 365 of Roy Oswalt across 20 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Roy Oswalt are complete games (20 to 17), shutouts (8 to 5), and ERA (3.36 to 3.49). The per-nine rows read 7.91 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Zack Greinke, 7.42 and 2.08 for Roy Oswalt. Both had the same role: Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games); Roy Oswalt was mainly a starter (341 starts in 365 games).
Zack Greinke vs Roy Oswalt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Roy Oswalt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Roy Oswalt in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Roy Oswalt's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Roy Oswalt's 1,852.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.