Felix Hernandez vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Felix Hernandez has the better career line of the two, leading 4 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Felix Hernandez played 2005–2019 as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright played 2005–2023 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 Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) — both debuted in the 2000s. Felix Hernandez finished with 169 wins and 2,524 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright finished with 200 wins and 2,202 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Felix Hernandez, in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Felix Hernandez, with 3.42 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Felix Hernandez's 169.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Felix Hernandez, with 2,524 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP? Felix Hernandez, with 1.21 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- How many innings did each pitch? Felix Hernandez 2,729.2, Adam Wainwright 2,668.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 11.
Felix Hernandez
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. 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 | Felix Hernandez | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 169 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses not scored | 136 | 128 |
| Games not scored | 419 | 478 |
| Games Started not scored | 418 | 411 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 11 | 11 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,524 | 2,202 |
| Walks not scored | 805 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,487 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 264 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,729.2 | 2,668.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.42 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.21 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.32 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | 2.65 | Leads: 2.48 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Adam Wainwright edges Felix Hernandez 44,617 to 44,530 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Adam Wainwright played 18 seasons to Felix Hernandez's 15, while Felix Hernandez carries the higher per-season figure (2,969 to 2,479). 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Felix Hernandez leads 4 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. Adam Wainwright leads 3: wins, complete games, and walks per nine. 1 is tied. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Felix Hernandez. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Adam Wainwright higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Felix Hernandez and Adam Wainwright careers compare
The careers of Felix Hernandez (2005–2019) and Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) overlapped from 2005 to 2019, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 419 games for Felix Hernandez and 478 for Adam Wainwright across 15 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Adam Wainwright's edges on the table are wins (200 to 169), complete games (28 to 25), and walks per nine (2.48 to 2.65). The per-nine rows read 8.32 strikeouts and 2.65 walks for Felix Hernandez, 7.43 and 2.48 for Adam Wainwright.
Felix Hernandez vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Felix Hernandez or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Felix Hernandez leads Adam Wainwright in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Felix Hernandez, with 3.42 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Felix Hernandez's 169.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Felix Hernandez, with 2,524 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Felix Hernandez, with 1.21 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.