Felix Hernandez vs Andy Pettitte: Career Stats Comparison
Felix Hernandez has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Felix Hernandez played 2005–2019 as a pitcher; Andy Pettitte played 1995–2013 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
Felix Hernandez (2005–2019) and Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Felix Hernandez finished with 169 wins and 2,524 strikeouts; Andy Pettitte finished with 256 wins and 2,448 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Felix Hernandez, with 3.42 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Felix Hernandez's 169.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Felix Hernandez, with 2,524 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP? Felix Hernandez, with 1.21 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Andy Pettitte, with 3,316.0 to Felix Hernandez's 2,729.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Felix Hernandez, with 11 to Andy Pettitte's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Andy Pettitte, with 57,293 career Pitcher PIV to Felix Hernandez's 44,530.
Felix Hernandez
Andy Pettitte
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 2000s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Felix Hernandez | Andy Pettitte |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 169 | Leads: 256 |
| Losses not scored | 136 | 153 |
| Games | 419 | Leads: 531 |
| Games Started | 418 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 26 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 11 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,524 | 2,448 |
| Walks not scored | 805 | 1,031 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,487 | 3,448 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 264 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,729.2 | Leads: 3,316.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.42 | 3.85 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.21 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.32 | 6.64 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.65 | 2.80 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Andy Pettitte leads Felix Hernandez 57,293 to 44,530 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,183 PIV per season to 2,969, across 18 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).
Felix Hernandez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Andy Pettitte — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Felix Hernandez leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Andy Pettitte owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Felix Hernandez. Note that PIV actually grades Andy Pettitte ahead, which means Felix Hernandez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Felix Hernandez and Andy Pettitte careers compare
Felix Hernandez and Andy Pettitte were active at the same time between 2005 and 2013. The two careers are close in length, 419 games for Felix Hernandez and 531 for Andy Pettitte across 15 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Felix Hernandez struck out 8.32 and walked 2.65 per nine innings; Andy Pettitte struck out 6.64 and walked 2.80. Felix Hernandez was mainly a starter (418 starts in 419 games), and Andy Pettitte was mainly a starter (521 starts in 531 games). In WHIP, Felix Hernandez's 1.21 beats Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
Felix Hernandez vs Andy Pettitte: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Felix Hernandez or Andy Pettitte?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Felix Hernandez leads Andy Pettitte in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Felix Hernandez, with 3.42 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Felix Hernandez's 169.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Felix Hernandez, with 2,524 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Felix Hernandez, with 1.21 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.