Mark Melancon vs Brian Wilson: Career Stats Comparison
Mark Melancon 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; Brian Wilson played 2006–2014 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 Brian Wilson (2006–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mark Melancon finished with 37 wins and 643 strikeouts; Brian Wilson finished with 24 wins and 407 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 Brian Wilson's 3.30.
- Who won more games? Mark Melancon, with 37 to Brian Wilson's 24.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mark Melancon, with 643 to Brian Wilson's 407.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mark Melancon, with 1.17 to Brian Wilson's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Mark Melancon, with 726.2 to Brian Wilson's 382.0.
- 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 Brian Wilson's 9,257.
Mark Melancon
Brian Wilson
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 | Brian Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 37 | 24 |
| Losses not scored | 40 | 25 |
| Games | Leads: 732 | 394 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 262 | 172 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 643 | 407 |
| Walks not scored | 192 | 175 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 657 | 343 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 44 | 22 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 726.2 | 382.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.94 | 3.30 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.36 |
| K/9 | 7.96 | Leads: 9.59 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.38 | 4.12 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark Melancon outpaces Brian Wilson 19,354 to 9,257 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,138 PIV per season to 1,029, across 17 seasons to 9. 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.
Brian Wilson
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, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Brian Wilson owns 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 Brian Wilson careers compare
Mark Melancon and Brian Wilson were active at the same time between 2009 and 2014. The table compares 732 games of Mark Melancon with 394 of Brian Wilson across 17 and 9 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Brian Wilson's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (9.59 to 7.96). The per-nine rows read 7.96 strikeouts and 2.38 walks for Mark Melancon, 9.59 and 4.12 for Brian Wilson. Both had the same role: Mark Melancon worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 732 games, 262 saves); Brian Wilson worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 394 games, 172 saves). Mark Melancon allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.17 WHIP to Brian Wilson's 1.36.
Mark Melancon vs Brian Wilson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark Melancon or Brian Wilson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mark Melancon leads Brian Wilson in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mark Melancon, with 2.94 to Brian Wilson's 3.30.
- Who won more games?
- Mark Melancon, with 37 to Brian Wilson's 24.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mark Melancon, with 643 to Brian Wilson's 407.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mark Melancon, with 1.17 to Brian Wilson's 1.36.