Josh Hader vs Joe Nathan: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Nathan 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). Josh Hader has played 2017–present as a pitcher; Joe Nathan played 1999–2016 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
Josh Hader (2017–present) and Joe Nathan (1999–2016) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Josh Hader has 38 wins and 884 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Joe Nathan finished with 64 wins and 976 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 Joe Nathan's 2.87.
- Who won more games? Joe Nathan, with 64 to Josh Hader's 38.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Joe Nathan, with 976 to Josh Hader's 884.
- Who had the better WHIP? Josh Hader, with 0.92 to Joe Nathan's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Joe Nathan, with 923.1 to Josh Hader's 557.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Joe Nathan, with 22,319 career Pitcher PIV to Josh Hader's 17,542.
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 1990s 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 | Joe Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 38 | Leads: 64 |
| Losses not scored | 33 | 34 |
| Games | 513 | Leads: 787 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 29 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 253 | Leads: 377 |
| Strikeouts | 884 | Leads: 976 |
| Walks not scored | 213 | 344 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 301 | 690 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 66 | 84 |
| Innings Pitched | 557.0 | Leads: 923.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.50 | 2.87 |
| WHIP | Leads: 0.92 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 14.28 | 9.51 |
| BB/9 | 3.44 | Leads: 3.35 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Nathan leads Josh Hader 22,319 to 17,542 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Joe Nathan played 17 seasons to Josh Hader's 10, while Josh Hader carries the higher per-season figure (1,754 to 1,313). 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.
Joe Nathan
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Nathan leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Josh Hader owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Nathan. PIV agrees: Joe Nathan grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Josh Hader and Joe Nathan careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Joe Nathan's ended in 2016, and Josh Hader debuted in 2017. Joe Nathan has the far longer record, 787 games against 513 across 10 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Josh Hader comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.50 to 2.87), WHIP (0.92 to 1.12), and strikeouts per nine (14.28 to 9.51). The per-nine rows read 14.28 strikeouts and 3.44 walks for Josh Hader, 9.51 and 3.35 for Joe Nathan. Both had the same role: Josh Hader worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 513 games, 253 saves); Joe Nathan worked mostly in relief (29 starts in 787 games, 377 saves). Because Josh Hader is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Josh Hader vs Joe Nathan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Hader or Joe Nathan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Nathan leads Josh Hader in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Josh Hader, with 2.50 to Joe Nathan's 2.87.
- Who won more games?
- Joe Nathan, with 64 to Josh Hader's 38.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Joe Nathan, with 976 to Josh Hader's 884.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Josh Hader, with 0.92 to Joe Nathan's 1.12.