Trevor Hoffman vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Wagner has the better career line of the two, leading 4 of the 6 scored categories on this page (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Trevor Hoffman played 1993–2010 as a pitcher; Billy Wagner played 1995–2010 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 Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — both debuted in the 1990s. Trevor Hoffman finished with 61 wins and 1,133 strikeouts; Billy Wagner finished with 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Billy Wagner, in 4 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves? Trevor Hoffman, with 601 to Billy Wagner's 422.
- Who had the better ERA? Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Trevor Hoffman's 2.87.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,133.
- Who had the better WHIP? Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Trevor Hoffman's 1.06.
- Who struck out more batters per nine innings? Billy Wagner, with 11.92 to Trevor Hoffman's 9.36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Billy Wagner, with 38,470 career Pitcher PIV to Trevor Hoffman's 37,065.
Trevor Hoffman
Billy Wagner
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. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. 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 | Trevor Hoffman | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 61 | 47 |
| Losses not scored | 75 | 40 |
| Games not scored | 1,035 | 853 |
| Games Started not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 601 | 422 |
| Strikeouts | 1,133 | Leads: 1,196 |
| Walks not scored | 307 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 846 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 100 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,089.1 | 903.0 |
| ERA | 2.87 | Leads: 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.06 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 9.36 | Leads: 11.92 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.54 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner edges Trevor Hoffman 38,470 to 37,065 — driven by per-season impact — 2,404 PIV per season to 2,059 — rather than by longevity, since Billy Wagner played 16 seasons to Trevor Hoffman's 18. 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 (40+ innings).
Trevor Hoffman — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Billy Wagner — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Billy Wagner leads 4 of the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card: strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. Trevor Hoffman leads 2: saves and walks per nine. Both are scored as relievers. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Wagner. PIV agrees: Billy Wagner 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 Billy Wagner careers compare
Trevor Hoffman and Billy Wagner were active at the same time between 1995 and 2010. With 1,035 games against 853 across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Trevor Hoffman are saves (601 to 422) and walks per nine (2.54 to 2.99). By rate, Trevor Hoffman struck out 9.36 and walked 2.54 per nine innings; Billy Wagner struck out 11.92 and walked 2.99. Trevor Hoffman worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 1,035 games, 601 saves), and Billy Wagner worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 853 games, 422 saves). Billy Wagner allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.00 WHIP to Trevor Hoffman's 1.06.
Trevor Hoffman vs Billy Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Trevor Hoffman or Billy Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Wagner leads Trevor Hoffman in 4 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 601 to Billy Wagner's 422.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Trevor Hoffman's 2.87.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,133.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Trevor Hoffman's 1.06.