Liam Hendriks vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Career Stats Comparison
Hoyt Wilhelm has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Liam Hendriks played 2011–2025 as a pitcher; Hoyt Wilhelm played 1952–1972 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
Liam Hendriks (2011–2025) and Hoyt Wilhelm (1952–1972) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Liam Hendriks finished with 33 wins and 739 strikeouts; Hoyt Wilhelm finished with 143 wins and 1,610 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Liam Hendriks's 3.88.
- Who won more games? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 143 to Liam Hendriks's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Liam Hendriks's 739.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1.12 to Liam Hendriks's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2,254.1 to Liam Hendriks's 663.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 5 to Liam Hendriks's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 40,894 career Pitcher PIV to Liam Hendriks's 14,422.
Liam Hendriks
Hoyt Wilhelm
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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Liam Hendriks | Hoyt Wilhelm |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 33 | Leads: 143 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 122 |
| Games | 490 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Games Started | 44 | Leads: 52 |
| Complete Games | 1 | Leads: 20 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | 116 | Leads: 227 |
| Strikeouts | 739 | Leads: 1,610 |
| Walks not scored | 166 | 778 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 630 | 1,757 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 79 | 150 |
| Innings Pitched | 663.2 | Leads: 2,254.1 |
| ERA | 3.88 | Leads: 2.52 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.02 | 6.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 3.11 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hoyt Wilhelm outpaces Liam Hendriks 40,894 to 14,422 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,573 PIV per season to 961, across 26 seasons to 15. 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).
Liam Hendriks
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Hoyt Wilhelm — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hoyt Wilhelm leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Liam Hendriks owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hoyt Wilhelm. PIV agrees: Hoyt Wilhelm grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Liam Hendriks and Hoyt Wilhelm careers compare
No season is shared: Hoyt Wilhelm played 1952–1972, Liam Hendriks 2011–2025. Hoyt Wilhelm has the far longer record, 1,070 games against 490 across 15 and 26 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Liam Hendriks comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (10.02 to 6.43) and walks per nine (2.25 to 3.11). By rate, Liam Hendriks struck out 10.02 and walked 2.25 per nine innings; Hoyt Wilhelm struck out 6.43 and walked 3.11. Liam Hendriks worked mostly in relief (44 starts in 490 games, 116 saves), and Hoyt Wilhelm worked mostly in relief (52 starts in 1,070 games, 227 saves). Hoyt Wilhelm allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Liam Hendriks's 1.20.
Liam Hendriks vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Liam Hendriks or Hoyt Wilhelm?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hoyt Wilhelm leads Liam Hendriks in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Liam Hendriks's 3.88.
- Who won more games?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 143 to Liam Hendriks's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Liam Hendriks's 739.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1.12 to Liam Hendriks's 1.20.