Walter Johnson vs Pedro Martinez: Career Stats Comparison
Walter Johnson has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Walter Johnson played 1907–1927 as a pitcher; Pedro Martinez played 1992–2009 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
Walter Johnson (1907–1927) and Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Walter Johnson finished with 417 wins and 3,509 strikeouts; Pedro Martinez finished with 219 wins and 3,154 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Walter Johnson, with 2.17 to Pedro Martinez's 2.93.
- Who won more games? Walter Johnson, with 417 to Pedro Martinez's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Walter Johnson, with 3,509 to Pedro Martinez's 3,154.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Walter Johnson's 1.06.
- Who pitched more innings? Walter Johnson, with 5,914.2 to Pedro Martinez's 2,827.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Walter Johnson, with 110 to Pedro Martinez's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Walter Johnson, with 124,021 career Pitcher PIV to Pedro Martinez's 113,314.
Walter Johnson
Pedro Martinez
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 1900s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Walter Johnson | Pedro Martinez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 417 | 219 |
| Losses not scored | 279 | 100 |
| Games | Leads: 802 | 476 |
| Games Started | Leads: 666 | 409 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 531 | 46 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 110 | 17 |
| Saves | Leads: 34 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,509 | 3,154 |
| Walks not scored | 1,363 | 760 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,913 | 2,221 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 97 | 239 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,914.2 | 2,827.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.17 | 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.06 | Leads: 1.05 |
| K/9 | 5.34 | Leads: 10.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.07 | 2.42 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Walter Johnson leads Pedro Martinez 124,021 to 113,314 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Walter Johnson played 21 seasons to Pedro Martinez's 18, while Pedro Martinez carries the higher per-season figure (6,295 to 5,906). 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).
Walter Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Pedro Martinez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Walter Johnson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Pedro Martinez owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Walter Johnson. PIV agrees: Walter Johnson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Walter Johnson and Pedro Martinez careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Walter Johnson's ended in 1927, and Pedro Martinez debuted in 1992. The table compares 802 games of Walter Johnson with 476 of Pedro Martinez across 21 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Pedro Martinez comes out ahead, it is in WHIP (1.05 to 1.06) and strikeouts per nine (10.04 to 5.34). By rate, Walter Johnson struck out 5.34 and walked 2.07 per nine innings; Pedro Martinez struck out 10.04 and walked 2.42. Walter Johnson was mainly a starter (666 starts in 802 games), and Pedro Martinez was mainly a starter (409 starts in 476 games).
Walter Johnson vs Pedro Martinez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Walter Johnson or Pedro Martinez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Walter Johnson leads Pedro Martinez in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Walter Johnson, with 2.17 to Pedro Martinez's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- Walter Johnson, with 417 to Pedro Martinez's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Walter Johnson, with 3,509 to Pedro Martinez's 3,154.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Walter Johnson's 1.06.