Mark Melancon vs Francisco Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Francisco Rodriguez 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). Mark Melancon played 2009–2022 as a pitcher; Francisco Rodriguez played 2002–2017 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
Mark Melancon (2009–2022) and Francisco Rodriguez (2002–2017) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mark Melancon finished with 37 wins and 643 strikeouts; Francisco Rodriguez finished with 52 wins and 1,142 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Francisco Rodriguez, with 2.86 to Mark Melancon's 2.94.
- Who won more games? Francisco Rodriguez, with 52 to Mark Melancon's 37.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Francisco Rodriguez, with 1,142 to Mark Melancon's 643.
- Who had the better WHIP? Francisco Rodriguez, with 1.15 to Mark Melancon's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Francisco Rodriguez, with 976.0 to Mark Melancon's 726.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Francisco Rodriguez, with 21,669 career Pitcher PIV to Mark Melancon's 19,354.
Mark Melancon
Francisco Rodriguez
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 | Mark Melancon | Francisco Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 37 | Leads: 52 |
| Losses not scored | 40 | 53 |
| Games | 732 | Leads: 948 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 262 | Leads: 437 |
| Strikeouts | 643 | Leads: 1,142 |
| Walks not scored | 192 | 389 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 657 | 738 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 44 | 98 |
| Innings Pitched | 726.2 | Leads: 976.0 |
| ERA | 2.94 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.15 |
| K/9 | 7.96 | Leads: 10.53 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.38 | 3.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Francisco Rodriguez leads Mark Melancon 21,669 to 19,354 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,204 PIV per season to 1,138, across 18 seasons to 17. 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).
Mark Melancon
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Francisco Rodriguez
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Francisco Rodriguez leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Mark Melancon owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Francisco Rodriguez. PIV agrees: Francisco Rodriguez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mark Melancon and Francisco Rodriguez careers compare
From 2009 through 2017, Mark Melancon and Francisco Rodriguez were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 732 games for Mark Melancon and 948 for Francisco Rodriguez across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Mark Melancon's edges on the table are walks per nine (2.38 to 3.59). By rate, Mark Melancon struck out 7.96 and walked 2.38 per nine innings; Francisco Rodriguez struck out 10.53 and walked 3.59. Mark Melancon worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 732 games, 262 saves), and Francisco Rodriguez worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 948 games, 437 saves). In WHIP, Francisco Rodriguez's 1.15 beats Mark Melancon's 1.17.
Mark Melancon vs Francisco Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark Melancon or Francisco Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Francisco Rodriguez leads Mark Melancon in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 2.86 to Mark Melancon's 2.94.
- Who won more games?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 52 to Mark Melancon's 37.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 1,142 to Mark Melancon's 643.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 1.15 to Mark Melancon's 1.17.