Kenley Jansen vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Kenley Jansen (2010–present) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Kenley Jansen compiled 54 wins and 1,278 strikeouts; Billy Wagner put up 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Kenley Jansen
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Kenley Jansen | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | 47 |
| Losses | 40 | 40 |
| Games | 933 | 853 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 476 | 422 |
| Strikeouts | 1,278 | 1,196 |
| Walks | 282 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed | 610 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 88 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | 927 | 903 |
| ERA | 2.57 | 2.31 |
| WHIP | 0.96 | 1.00 |
| K/9 | 12.40 | 11.92 |
| BB/9 | 2.74 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner leads Kenley Jansen 38,470 to 34,863 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,263 vs 2,179 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).
Kenley Jansen — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Billy Wagner — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kenley Jansen leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Billy Wagner owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kenley Jansen. Note that PIV actually grades Billy Wagner ahead, which means Kenley Jansen's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.