Trevor Hoffman vs Joe Nathan: Career Stats Comparison
Trevor Hoffman 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). Trevor Hoffman played 1993–2010 as a pitcher; Joe Nathan played 1999–2016 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
Trevor Hoffman (1993–2010) and Joe Nathan (1999–2016) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Trevor Hoffman finished with 61 wins and 1,133 strikeouts; Joe Nathan finished with 64 wins and 976 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Neither — both are at 2.87.
- Who won more games? Joe Nathan, with 64 to Trevor Hoffman's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Trevor Hoffman, with 1,133 to Joe Nathan's 976.
- Who had the better WHIP? Trevor Hoffman, with 1.06 to Joe Nathan's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Trevor Hoffman, with 1,089.1 to Joe Nathan's 923.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Trevor Hoffman, with 37,065 career Pitcher PIV to Joe Nathan's 22,319.
Trevor Hoffman
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Trevor Hoffman | Joe Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 61 | Leads: 64 |
| Losses not scored | 75 | 34 |
| Games | Leads: 1,035 | 787 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 29 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 601 | 377 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,133 | 976 |
| Walks not scored | 307 | 344 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 846 | 690 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 100 | 84 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,089.1 | 923.1 |
| ERA | 2.87 | Leads: 2.87 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 9.36 | Leads: 9.51 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.54 | 3.35 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Trevor Hoffman outpaces Joe Nathan 37,065 to 22,319 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,951 PIV per season to 1,313, across 19 seasons to 17. 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).
Trevor Hoffman
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Joe Nathan
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Trevor Hoffman leads in strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Joe Nathan owns wins, ERA, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Trevor Hoffman. PIV agrees: Trevor Hoffman grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Trevor Hoffman and Joe Nathan careers compare
From 1999 through 2010, Trevor Hoffman and Joe Nathan were in the majors together. With 1,035 games against 787 across 19 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Joe Nathan's edges on the table are wins (64 to 61), starts (29 to 0), and ERA (2.87 to 2.87). The per-nine rows read 9.36 strikeouts and 2.54 walks for Trevor Hoffman, 9.51 and 3.35 for Joe Nathan. Both had the same role: Trevor Hoffman worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 1,035 games, 601 saves); Joe Nathan worked mostly in relief (29 starts in 787 games, 377 saves). In WHIP, Trevor Hoffman's 1.06 beats Joe Nathan's 1.12.
Trevor Hoffman vs Joe Nathan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Trevor Hoffman or Joe Nathan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Trevor Hoffman leads Joe Nathan in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Neither — both are at 2.87.
- Who won more games?
- Joe Nathan, with 64 to Trevor Hoffman's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 1,133 to Joe Nathan's 976.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 1.06 to Joe Nathan's 1.12.