Kenley Jansen vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Career Stats Comparison
Hoyt Wilhelm has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Kenley Jansen has played 2010–present as a pitcher; Hoyt Wilhelm played 1952–1972 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
Kenley Jansen (2010–present) and Hoyt Wilhelm (1952–1972) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Kenley Jansen has 58 wins and 1,329 strikeouts through October 6, 2026; Hoyt Wilhelm finished with 143 wins and 1,610 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Kenley Jansen's 2.60.
- Who won more games? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 143 to Kenley Jansen's 58.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Kenley Jansen's 1,329.
- Who had the better WHIP? Kenley Jansen, with 0.97 to Hoyt Wilhelm's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2,254.1 to Kenley Jansen's 972.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 5 to Kenley Jansen's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hoyt Wilhelm, with 40,894 career Pitcher PIV to Kenley Jansen's 34,863.
Kenley Jansen
Hoyt Wilhelm
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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Kenley Jansen is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Kenley Jansen | Hoyt Wilhelm |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 58 | Leads: 143 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 122 |
| Games | 983 | Leads: 1,070 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 52 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 20 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 498 | 227 |
| Strikeouts | 1,329 | Leads: 1,610 |
| Walks not scored | 305 | 778 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 634 | 1,757 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 95 | 150 |
| Innings Pitched | 972.1 | Leads: 2,254.1 |
| ERA | 2.60 | Leads: 2.52 |
| WHIP | Leads: 0.97 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 12.30 | 6.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.82 | 3.11 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hoyt Wilhelm leads Kenley Jansen 40,894 to 34,863 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Hoyt Wilhelm played 26 seasons to Kenley Jansen's 16, while Kenley Jansen carries the higher per-season figure (2,179 to 1,573). 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).
Kenley Jansen
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Hoyt Wilhelm — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hoyt Wilhelm leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Kenley Jansen owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hoyt Wilhelm. PIV agrees: Hoyt Wilhelm grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kenley Jansen and Hoyt Wilhelm careers compare
No season is shared: Hoyt Wilhelm played 1952–1972, Kenley Jansen 2010–present. The two careers are close in length, 983 games for Kenley Jansen and 1,070 for Hoyt Wilhelm across 16 and 26 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Kenley Jansen comes out ahead, it is in saves (498 to 227), WHIP (0.97 to 1.12), and strikeouts per nine (12.30 to 6.43). By rate, Kenley Jansen struck out 12.30 and walked 2.82 per nine innings; Hoyt Wilhelm struck out 6.43 and walked 3.11. Because Kenley Jansen is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Kenley Jansen vs Hoyt Wilhelm: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kenley Jansen or Hoyt Wilhelm?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hoyt Wilhelm leads Kenley Jansen in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 2.52 to Kenley Jansen's 2.60.
- Who won more games?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 143 to Kenley Jansen's 58.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hoyt Wilhelm, with 1,610 to Kenley Jansen's 1,329.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Kenley Jansen, with 0.97 to Hoyt Wilhelm's 1.12.