Josh Hader vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Wagner 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; Billy Wagner played 1995–2010 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 Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — 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; Billy Wagner finished with 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Josh Hader's 2.50.
- Who won more games? Billy Wagner, with 47 to Josh Hader's 38.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Josh Hader's 884.
- Who had the better WHIP? Josh Hader, with 0.92 to Billy Wagner's 1.00.
- Who pitched more innings? Billy Wagner, with 903.0 to Josh Hader's 557.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Billy Wagner, with 38,470 career Pitcher PIV to Josh Hader's 17,542.
Billy Wagner
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 | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 38 | Leads: 47 |
| Losses not scored | 33 | 40 |
| Games | 513 | Leads: 853 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 253 | Leads: 422 |
| Strikeouts | 884 | Leads: 1,196 |
| Walks not scored | 213 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 301 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 66 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | 557.0 | Leads: 903.0 |
| ERA | 2.50 | Leads: 2.31 |
| WHIP | Leads: 0.92 | 1.00 |
| K/9 | Leads: 14.28 | 11.92 |
| BB/9 | 3.44 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner outpaces Josh Hader 38,470 to 17,542 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,263 PIV per season to 1,754, across 17 seasons to 10. 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.
Billy Wagner
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Wagner leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Josh Hader owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Wagner. PIV agrees: Billy Wagner 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 Billy Wagner careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Billy Wagner's ended in 2010, and Josh Hader debuted in 2017. Billy Wagner has the far longer record, 853 games against 513 across 10 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Josh Hader's edges on the table are WHIP (0.92 to 1.00) and strikeouts per nine (14.28 to 11.92). By rate, Josh Hader struck out 14.28 and walked 3.44 per nine innings; Billy Wagner struck out 11.92 and walked 2.99. Both had the same role: Josh Hader worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 513 games, 253 saves); Billy Wagner worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 853 games, 422 saves). Because Josh Hader is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Josh Hader vs Billy Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Josh Hader or Billy Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Wagner leads Josh Hader in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Josh Hader's 2.50.
- Who won more games?
- Billy Wagner, with 47 to Josh Hader's 38.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Josh Hader's 884.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Josh Hader, with 0.92 to Billy Wagner's 1.00.