Felix Hernandez vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Felix Hernandez has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Felix Hernandez played 2005–2019 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
Felix Hernandez (2005–2019) and Adam Wainwright (2005–present) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Felix Hernandez compiled 169 wins and 2,524 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? 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Felix Hernandez, with 2,729 to Adam Wainwright's 2,668.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 11.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Adam Wainwright, with 44,617 career Pitcher PIV to Felix Hernandez's 44,530.
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. 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 | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 169 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses | 136 | 128 |
| Games | 419 | Leads: 478 |
| Games Started | Leads: 418 | 411 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 11 | 11 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,524 | 2,202 |
| Walks | 805 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,487 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 264 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,729 | 2,668 |
| 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 gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,479 vs 2,969 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)
Adam Wainwright — 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 Adam Wainwright owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Felix Hernandez. Note that PIV actually grades Adam Wainwright ahead, which means Felix Hernandez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
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 6 of 11 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.