Joe Nathan vs Dan Plesac: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Nathan 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). Joe Nathan played 1999–2016 as a pitcher; Dan Plesac played 1986–2003 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
Joe Nathan (1999–2016) and Dan Plesac (1986–2003) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Joe Nathan finished with 64 wins and 976 strikeouts; Dan Plesac finished with 65 wins and 1,041 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Joe Nathan, with 2.87 to Dan Plesac's 3.64.
- Who won more games? Dan Plesac, with 65 to Joe Nathan's 64.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dan Plesac, with 1,041 to Joe Nathan's 976.
- Who had the better WHIP? Joe Nathan, with 1.12 to Dan Plesac's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Dan Plesac, with 1,072.0 to Joe Nathan's 923.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Joe Nathan, with 22,319 career Pitcher PIV to Dan Plesac's 20,030.
Dan Plesac
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 | Joe Nathan | Dan Plesac |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 64 | Leads: 65 |
| Losses not scored | 34 | 71 |
| Games | 787 | Leads: 1,064 |
| Games Started | Leads: 29 | 14 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 377 | 158 |
| Strikeouts | 976 | Leads: 1,041 |
| Walks not scored | 344 | 402 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 690 | 977 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 84 | 105 |
| Innings Pitched | 923.1 | Leads: 1,072.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.87 | 3.64 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.51 | 8.74 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.35 | 3.38 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Nathan leads Dan Plesac 22,319 to 20,030 — driven by per-season impact — 1,313 PIV per season to 1,002 — rather than by longevity, since Joe Nathan played 17 seasons to Dan Plesac's 20. 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).
Joe Nathan
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Dan Plesac
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Nathan leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Dan Plesac owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Joe Nathan. PIV agrees: Joe Nathan grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Nathan and Dan Plesac careers compare
Joe Nathan and Dan Plesac were active at the same time between 1999 and 2003. With 787 games against 1,064 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Dan Plesac's edges on the table are wins (65 to 64), games (1,064 to 787), and strikeouts (1,041 to 976). By rate, Joe Nathan struck out 9.51 and walked 3.35 per nine innings; Dan Plesac struck out 8.74 and walked 3.38. Joe Nathan worked mostly in relief (29 starts in 787 games, 377 saves), and Dan Plesac worked mostly in relief (14 starts in 1,064 games, 158 saves). In WHIP, Joe Nathan's 1.12 beats Dan Plesac's 1.29.
Joe Nathan vs Dan Plesac: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Nathan or Dan Plesac?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Nathan leads Dan Plesac in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe Nathan, with 2.87 to Dan Plesac's 3.64.
- Who won more games?
- Dan Plesac, with 65 to Joe Nathan's 64.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dan Plesac, with 1,041 to Joe Nathan's 976.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Joe Nathan, with 1.12 to Dan Plesac's 1.29.