Ryan Madson vs Scot Shields: Career Stats Comparison
Ryan Madson 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). Ryan Madson played 2003–2018 as a pitcher; Scot Shields played 2001–2010 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
Ryan Madson (2003–2018) and Scot Shields (2001–2010) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Ryan Madson finished with 61 wins and 775 strikeouts; Scot Shields finished with 46 wins and 631 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Scot Shields, with 3.18 to Ryan Madson's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Ryan Madson, with 61 to Scot Shields's 46.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Ryan Madson, with 775 to Scot Shields's 631.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Ryan Madson, with 869.2 to Scot Shields's 697.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ryan Madson, with 15,272 career Pitcher PIV to Scot Shields's 14,266.
Ryan Madson
Scot Shields
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 | Ryan Madson | Scot Shields |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 61 | 46 |
| Losses not scored | 48 | 44 |
| Games | Leads: 740 | 491 |
| Games Started | Leads: 18 | 15 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 91 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 775 | 631 |
| Walks not scored | 250 | 278 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 830 | 589 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 82 | 55 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 869.2 | 697.0 |
| ERA | 3.48 | Leads: 3.18 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.24 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 8.02 | Leads: 8.15 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.59 | 3.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ryan Madson edges Scot Shields 15,272 to 14,266 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Ryan Madson played 15 seasons to Scot Shields's 10, while Scot Shields carries the higher per-season figure (1,427 to 1,018). 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).
Ryan Madson — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Scot Shields — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ryan Madson leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Scot Shields owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ryan Madson. PIV agrees: Ryan Madson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ryan Madson and Scot Shields careers compare
From 2003 through 2010, Ryan Madson and Scot Shields were in the majors together. The table compares 740 games of Ryan Madson with 491 of Scot Shields across 15 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Scot Shields's edges on the table are ERA (3.18 to 3.48) and strikeouts per nine (8.15 to 8.02). By rate, Ryan Madson struck out 8.02 and walked 2.59 per nine innings; Scot Shields struck out 8.15 and walked 3.59. Ryan Madson worked mostly in relief (18 starts in 740 games, 91 saves), and Scot Shields worked mostly in relief (15 starts in 491 games, 21 saves). In WHIP, Ryan Madson's 1.24 beats Scot Shields's 1.24.
Ryan Madson vs Scot Shields: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ryan Madson or Scot Shields?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ryan Madson leads Scot Shields in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Scot Shields, with 3.18 to Ryan Madson's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Ryan Madson, with 61 to Scot Shields's 46.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Ryan Madson, with 775 to Scot Shields's 631.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.24.