Brad Lidge vs Ryan Madson: Career Stats Comparison
Ryan Madson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Brad Lidge played 2002–2012 as a pitcher; Ryan Madson played 2003–2018 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
Brad Lidge (2002–2012) and Ryan Madson (2003–2018) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Brad Lidge finished with 26 wins and 799 strikeouts; Ryan Madson finished with 61 wins and 775 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ryan Madson, with 3.48 to Brad Lidge's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Ryan Madson, with 61 to Brad Lidge's 26.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Brad Lidge, with 799 to Ryan Madson's 775.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ryan Madson, with 1.24 to Brad Lidge's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Ryan Madson, with 869.2 to Brad Lidge's 603.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Brad Lidge, with 17,126 career Pitcher PIV to Ryan Madson's 15,272.
Ryan Madson
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Brad Lidge | Ryan Madson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 26 | Leads: 61 |
| Losses not scored | 32 | 48 |
| Games | 603 | Leads: 740 |
| Games Started | 1 | Leads: 18 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 225 | 91 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 799 | 775 |
| Walks not scored | 287 | 250 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 492 | 830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | 603.1 | Leads: 869.2 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.48 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.92 | 8.02 |
| BB/9 | 4.28 | Leads: 2.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Brad Lidge leads Ryan Madson 17,126 to 15,272 — driven by per-season impact — 1,557 PIV per season to 1,018 — rather than by longevity, since Brad Lidge played 11 seasons to Ryan Madson's 15. 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).
Brad Lidge
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Ryan Madson — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ryan Madson leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Brad Lidge owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ryan Madson. Note that PIV actually grades Brad Lidge ahead, which means Ryan Madson's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson careers compare
Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson were active at the same time between 2003 and 2012. The two careers are close in length, 603 games for Brad Lidge and 740 for Ryan Madson across 11 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Brad Lidge comes out ahead, it is in saves (225 to 91), strikeouts (799 to 775), and strikeouts per nine (11.92 to 8.02). By rate, Brad Lidge struck out 11.92 and walked 4.28 per nine innings; Ryan Madson struck out 8.02 and walked 2.59.
Brad Lidge vs Ryan Madson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Brad Lidge or Ryan Madson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ryan Madson leads Brad Lidge in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ryan Madson, with 3.48 to Brad Lidge's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Ryan Madson, with 61 to Brad Lidge's 26.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Brad Lidge, with 799 to Ryan Madson's 775.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ryan Madson, with 1.24 to Brad Lidge's 1.29.