Greg Holland vs Joe Nathan: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Nathan has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Greg Holland played 2010–2022 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
Greg Holland (2010–2022) and Joe Nathan (1999–2016) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Greg Holland finished with 30 wins and 677 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? Joe Nathan, with 2.87 to Greg Holland's 3.14.
- Who won more games? Joe Nathan, with 64 to Greg Holland's 30.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Joe Nathan, with 976 to Greg Holland's 677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Joe Nathan, with 1.12 to Greg Holland's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Joe Nathan, with 923.1 to Greg Holland's 547.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Joe Nathan, with 22,319 career Pitcher PIV to Greg Holland's 15,332.
Greg Holland
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, and the 2010s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Greg Holland | Joe Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 30 | Leads: 64 |
| Losses not scored | 28 | 34 |
| Games | 556 | Leads: 787 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 29 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 220 | Leads: 377 |
| Strikeouts | 677 | Leads: 976 |
| Walks not scored | 241 | 344 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 417 | 690 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 43 | 84 |
| Innings Pitched | 547.2 | Leads: 923.1 |
| ERA | 3.14 | Leads: 2.87 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.13 | 9.51 |
| BB/9 | 3.96 | Leads: 3.35 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Nathan outpaces Greg Holland 22,319 to 15,332 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,313 PIV per season to 1,179, across 17 seasons to 13. 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).
Greg Holland
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, Joe Nathan leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Greg Holland owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Nathan. PIV agrees: Joe Nathan grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Greg Holland and Joe Nathan careers compare
Greg Holland and Joe Nathan were active at the same time between 2010 and 2016. With 556 games against 787 across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Greg Holland comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (11.13 to 9.51). The per-nine rows read 11.13 strikeouts and 3.96 walks for Greg Holland, 9.51 and 3.35 for Joe Nathan. Greg Holland worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 556 games, 220 saves), and Joe Nathan worked mostly in relief (29 starts in 787 games, 377 saves). Joe Nathan allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Greg Holland's 1.20.
Greg Holland vs Joe Nathan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Greg Holland or Joe Nathan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Nathan leads Greg Holland in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe Nathan, with 2.87 to Greg Holland's 3.14.
- Who won more games?
- Joe Nathan, with 64 to Greg Holland's 30.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Joe Nathan, with 976 to Greg Holland's 677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Joe Nathan, with 1.12 to Greg Holland's 1.20.