Roy Halladay vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Roy Halladay has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Roy Halladay played 1998–2013 as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright 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 Adam Wainwright (2005–present) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Roy Halladay compiled 203 wins and 2,117 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright put up 200 wins and 2,202 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Roy Halladay, with 3.38 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Roy Halladay, with 203 to Adam Wainwright's 200.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Roy Halladay's 2,117.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roy Halladay, with 1.18 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Roy Halladay, with 2,749 to Adam Wainwright's 2,668.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roy Halladay, with 20 to Adam Wainwright's 11.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roy Halladay, with 66,478 career Pitcher PIV to Adam Wainwright's 44,617.
Roy Halladay
Adam Wainwright
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Roy Halladay | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 203 | 200 |
| Losses | 105 | 128 |
| Games | 416 | Leads: 478 |
| Games Started | 390 | Leads: 411 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 67 | 28 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 11 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | 2,117 | Leads: 2,202 |
| Walks | 592 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,646 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 236 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,749 | 2,668 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.38 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 6.93 | Leads: 7.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.48 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Halladay outpaces Adam Wainwright 66,478 to 44,617 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,155 vs 2,479 per year). 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roy Halladay leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Adam Wainwright owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roy Halladay. PIV agrees: Roy Halladay grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Roy Halladay vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Halladay or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roy Halladay leads Adam Wainwright in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roy Halladay, with 3.38 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Roy Halladay, with 203 to Adam Wainwright's 200.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Roy Halladay's 2,117.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roy Halladay, with 1.18 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.