Mark Melancon vs Jose Valverde: Career Stats Comparison
Mark Melancon has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Jose Valverde played 2003–2014 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 Jose Valverde (2003–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mark Melancon finished with 37 wins and 643 strikeouts; Jose Valverde finished with 27 wins and 692 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mark Melancon, with 2.94 to Jose Valverde's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Mark Melancon, with 37 to Jose Valverde's 27.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jose Valverde, with 692 to Mark Melancon's 643.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mark Melancon, with 1.17 to Jose Valverde's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Mark Melancon, with 726.2 to Jose Valverde's 630.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mark Melancon, with 19,354 career Pitcher PIV to Jose Valverde's 9,113.
Mark Melancon
Jose Valverde
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 | Jose Valverde |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 37 | 27 |
| Losses not scored | 40 | 33 |
| Games | Leads: 732 | 626 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 262 | Leads: 288 |
| Strikeouts | 643 | Leads: 692 |
| Walks not scored | 192 | 264 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 657 | 490 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 44 | 67 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 726.2 | 630.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.94 | 3.27 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 7.96 | Leads: 9.88 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.38 | 3.77 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark Melancon outpaces Jose Valverde 19,354 to 9,113 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,138 PIV per season to 759, across 17 seasons to 12. 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.
Jose Valverde
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mark Melancon leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Jose Valverde owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mark Melancon. PIV agrees: Mark Melancon 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 Jose Valverde careers compare
The careers of Mark Melancon (2009–2022) and Jose Valverde (2003–2014) overlapped from 2009 to 2014, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 732 games against 626 across 17 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jose Valverde's edges on the table are saves (288 to 262), strikeouts (692 to 643), and strikeouts per nine (9.88 to 7.96). By rate, Mark Melancon struck out 7.96 and walked 2.38 per nine innings; Jose Valverde struck out 9.88 and walked 3.77. Mark Melancon worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 732 games, 262 saves), and Jose Valverde worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 626 games, 288 saves).
Mark Melancon vs Jose Valverde: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark Melancon or Jose Valverde?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mark Melancon leads Jose Valverde in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mark Melancon, with 2.94 to Jose Valverde's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Mark Melancon, with 37 to Jose Valverde's 27.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jose Valverde, with 692 to Mark Melancon's 643.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mark Melancon, with 1.17 to Jose Valverde's 1.20.