Felix Hernandez vs David Price: Career Stats Comparison
Felix Hernandez has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Felix Hernandez played 2005–2019 as a pitcher; David Price played 2008–2022 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 David Price (2008–2022) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Felix Hernandez compiled 169 wins and 2,524 strikeouts; David Price put up 157 wins and 2,076 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? David Price, with 3.32 to Felix Hernandez's 3.42.
- Who won more games? Felix Hernandez, with 169 to David Price's 157.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Felix Hernandez, with 2,524 to David Price's 2,076.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Price, with 1.16 to Felix Hernandez's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Felix Hernandez, with 2,729 to David Price's 2,143.
- Who threw more shutouts? Felix Hernandez, with 11 to David Price's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Felix Hernandez, with 44,530 career Pitcher PIV to David Price's 36,995.
Felix Hernandez
David Price
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 | Felix Hernandez | David Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 169 | 157 |
| Losses | 136 | 82 |
| Games | Leads: 419 | 400 |
| Games Started | Leads: 418 | 322 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 25 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 11 | 3 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,524 | 2,076 |
| Walks | 805 | 562 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,487 | 1,930 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 264 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,729 | 2,143 |
| ERA | 3.42 | Leads: 3.32 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.16 |
| K/9 | 8.32 | Leads: 8.72 |
| BB/9 | 2.65 | Leads: 2.36 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Felix Hernandez leads David Price 44,530 to 36,995 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,969 vs 2,312 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).
Felix Hernandez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
David Price — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Felix Hernandez leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while David Price owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Felix Hernandez. PIV agrees: Felix Hernandez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Felix Hernandez vs David Price: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Felix Hernandez or David Price?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Felix Hernandez leads David Price in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Price, with 3.32 to Felix Hernandez's 3.42.
- Who won more games?
- Felix Hernandez, with 169 to David Price's 157.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Felix Hernandez, with 2,524 to David Price's 2,076.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Price, with 1.16 to Felix Hernandez's 1.21.