Josh Hader vs Mark Melancon: Career Stats Comparison
Josh Hader 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). Josh Hader has played 2017–present as a pitcher; Mark Melancon played 2009–2022 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
Josh Hader (2017–present) and Mark Melancon (2009–2022) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Josh Hader has 38 wins and 884 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Mark Melancon finished with 37 wins and 643 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Josh Hader, with 2.50 to Mark Melancon's 2.94.
- Who won more games? Josh Hader, with 38 to Mark Melancon's 37.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Josh Hader, with 884 to Mark Melancon's 643.
- Who had the better WHIP? Josh Hader, with 0.92 to Mark Melancon's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Mark Melancon, with 726.2 to Josh Hader's 557.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mark Melancon, with 19,354 career Pitcher PIV to Josh Hader's 17,542.
Mark Melancon
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 2010s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Josh Hader is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Josh Hader | Mark Melancon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 38 | 37 |
| Losses not scored | 33 | 40 |
| Games | 513 | Leads: 732 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 253 | Leads: 262 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 884 | 643 |
| Walks not scored | 213 | 192 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 301 | 657 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 66 | 44 |
| Innings Pitched | 557.0 | Leads: 726.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.50 | 2.94 |
| WHIP | Leads: 0.92 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | Leads: 14.28 | 7.96 |
| BB/9 | 3.44 | Leads: 2.38 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark Melancon leads Josh Hader 19,354 to 17,542 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Mark Melancon played 17 seasons to Josh Hader's 10, while Josh Hader carries the higher per-season figure (1,754 to 1,138). 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).
Josh Hader
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Mark Melancon
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Josh Hader leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Mark Melancon owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Josh Hader. Note that PIV actually grades Mark Melancon ahead, which means Josh Hader's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Hader and Mark Melancon careers compare
The careers of Josh Hader (2017–present) and Mark Melancon (2009–2022) overlapped from 2017 to 2022, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 513 games against 732 across 10 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Mark Melancon's edges on the table are games (732 to 513), saves (262 to 253), and innings (726.2 to 557.0). By rate, Josh Hader struck out 14.28 and walked 3.44 per nine innings; Mark Melancon struck out 7.96 and walked 2.38. Because Josh Hader is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Josh Hader vs Mark Melancon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Hader or Mark Melancon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Josh Hader leads Mark Melancon in 5 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Josh Hader, with 2.50 to Mark Melancon's 2.94.
- Who won more games?
- Josh Hader, with 38 to Mark Melancon's 37.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Josh Hader, with 884 to Mark Melancon's 643.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Josh Hader, with 0.92 to Mark Melancon's 1.17.