Pedro Martinez vs David Wells: Career Stats Comparison
David Wells 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). Pedro Martinez played 1992–2009 as a pitcher; David Wells played 1987–2007 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 David Wells (1987–2007) — 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; David Wells finished with 239 wins and 2,201 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 David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games? David Wells, with 239 to Pedro Martinez's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to David Wells's 2,201.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to David Wells's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? David Wells, with 3,439.0 to Pedro Martinez's 2,827.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pedro Martinez, with 17 to David Wells's 12.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pedro Martinez, with 113,314 career Pitcher PIV to David Wells's 31,301.
Pedro Martinez
David Wells
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 | David Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 219 | Leads: 239 |
| Losses not scored | 100 | 157 |
| Games | 476 | Leads: 660 |
| Games Started | 409 | Leads: 489 |
| Complete Games | 46 | Leads: 54 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 17 | 12 |
| Saves | 3 | Leads: 13 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,154 | 2,201 |
| Walks not scored | 760 | 719 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,221 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 407 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,827.1 | Leads: 3,439.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.93 | 4.13 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.05 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.04 | 5.76 |
| BB/9 | 2.42 | Leads: 1.88 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pedro Martinez outpaces David Wells 113,314 to 31,301 — driven by per-season impact — 6,295 PIV per season to 1,304 — rather than by longevity, since Pedro Martinez played 18 seasons to David Wells's 24. 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)
David Wells — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pedro Martinez leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while David Wells owns wins and 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 David Wells careers compare
The careers of Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) and David Wells (1987–2007) overlapped from 1992 to 2007, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 476 games against 660 across 18 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Pedro Martinez struck out 10.04 and walked 2.42 per nine innings; David Wells struck out 5.76 and walked 1.88. Pedro Martinez was mainly a starter (409 starts in 476 games), and David Wells was mainly a starter (489 starts in 660 games). In WHIP, Pedro Martinez's 1.05 beats David Wells's 1.27.
Pedro Martinez vs David Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pedro Martinez or David Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Wells leads Pedro Martinez in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games?
- David Wells, with 239 to Pedro Martinez's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to David Wells's 2,201.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to David Wells's 1.27.