Roy Halladay vs Justin Verlander: Career Stats Comparison
Justin Verlander 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). Roy Halladay played 1998–2013 as a pitcher; Justin Verlander has played 2005–present 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
Roy Halladay (1998–2013) and Justin Verlander (2005–present) — they debuted in the 1990s and the 2000s respectively and share 9 seasons. Roy Halladay finished with 203 wins and 2,117 strikeouts; Justin Verlander has 266 wins and 3,560 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Justin Verlander, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Justin Verlander, with 3.33 to Roy Halladay's 3.38.
- Who won more games? Justin Verlander, with 266 to Roy Halladay's 203.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Justin Verlander, with 3,560 to Roy Halladay's 2,117.
- Who had the better WHIP? Justin Verlander, with 1.14 to Roy Halladay's 1.18.
- How many innings did each pitch? Roy Halladay 2,749.1, Justin Verlander 3,576.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roy Halladay, with 20 to Justin Verlander's 9.
Roy Halladay
Justin Verlander
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 | Roy Halladay | Justin Verlander |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 203 | Leads: 266 |
| Losses not scored | 105 | 159 |
| Games not scored | 416 | 557 |
| Games Started not scored | 390 | 557 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 67 | 26 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 9 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,117 | Leads: 3,560 |
| Walks not scored | 592 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,646 | 3,057 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 236 | 374 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,749.1 | 3,576.2 |
| ERA | 3.38 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 6.93 | Leads: 8.96 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.53 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Justin Verlander edges Roy Halladay 68,171 to 66,478 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Justin Verlander played 21 seasons to Roy Halladay's 16, while Roy Halladay carries the higher per-season figure (4,155 to 3,246). 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).
Roy Halladay — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Justin Verlander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Justin Verlander leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Roy Halladay leads 3: complete games, shutouts, and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Justin Verlander. PIV agrees: Justin Verlander grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roy Halladay and Justin Verlander careers compare
Roy Halladay and Justin Verlander were active at the same time between 2005 and 2013. With 416 games against 557 across 16 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Roy Halladay comes out ahead, it is in complete games (67 to 26), shutouts (20 to 9), and walks per nine (1.94 to 2.53). The per-nine rows read 6.93 strikeouts and 1.94 walks for Roy Halladay, 8.96 and 2.53 for Justin Verlander. Both had the same role: Roy Halladay was mainly a starter (390 starts in 416 games); Justin Verlander was mainly a starter (557 starts in 557 games). In WHIP, Justin Verlander's 1.14 beats Roy Halladay's 1.18. Justin Verlander's totals run through the 2026 season.
Roy Halladay vs Justin Verlander: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Halladay or Justin Verlander?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Justin Verlander leads Roy Halladay in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Justin Verlander, with 3.33 to Roy Halladay's 3.38.
- Who won more games?
- Justin Verlander, with 266 to Roy Halladay's 203.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Justin Verlander, with 3,560 to Roy Halladay's 2,117.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Justin Verlander, with 1.14 to Roy Halladay's 1.18.