Pedro Martinez vs Frank Viola: Career Stats Comparison
Pedro Martinez has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pedro Martinez played 1992–2009 as a pitcher; Frank Viola played 1982–1996 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
Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) and Frank Viola (1982–1996) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pedro Martinez finished with 219 wins and 3,154 strikeouts; Frank Viola finished with 176 wins and 1,844 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to Frank Viola's 3.73.
- Who won more games? Pedro Martinez, with 219 to Frank Viola's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Frank Viola's 1,844.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Frank Viola's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? Frank Viola, with 2,836.1 to Pedro Martinez's 2,827.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pedro Martinez, with 17 to Frank Viola's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pedro Martinez, with 113,314 career Pitcher PIV to Frank Viola's 8,226.
Pedro Martinez
Frank Viola
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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pedro Martinez | Frank Viola |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 219 | 176 |
| Losses not scored | 100 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 476 | 421 |
| Games Started | 409 | Leads: 420 |
| Complete Games | 46 | Leads: 74 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 17 | 16 |
| Saves | Leads: 3 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,154 | 1,844 |
| Walks not scored | 760 | 864 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,221 | 2,827 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 294 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,827.1 | Leads: 2,836.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.93 | 3.73 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.05 | 1.30 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.04 | 5.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.42 | 2.74 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pedro Martinez outpaces Frank Viola 113,314 to 8,226 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 6,295 PIV per season to 514, across 18 seasons to 16. 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).
Pedro Martinez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Frank Viola — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pedro Martinez leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Frank Viola owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pedro Martinez. PIV agrees: Pedro Martinez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pedro Martinez and Frank Viola careers compare
From 1992 through 1996, Pedro Martinez and Frank Viola were in the majors together. With 476 games against 421 across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Frank Viola are starts (420 to 409), complete games (74 to 46), and innings (2,836.1 to 2,827.1). The per-nine rows read 10.04 strikeouts and 2.42 walks for Pedro Martinez, 5.85 and 2.74 for Frank Viola. Both had the same role: Pedro Martinez was mainly a starter (409 starts in 476 games); Frank Viola was mainly a starter (420 starts in 421 games). Pedro Martinez allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.05 WHIP to Frank Viola's 1.30.
Pedro Martinez vs Frank Viola: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pedro Martinez or Frank Viola?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pedro Martinez leads Frank Viola in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to Frank Viola's 3.73.
- Who won more games?
- Pedro Martinez, with 219 to Frank Viola's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Frank Viola's 1,844.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Frank Viola's 1.30.