Joe Nathan vs Mariano Rivera: Career Stats Comparison
Mariano Rivera 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). Joe Nathan played 1999–2016 as a pitcher; Mariano Rivera played 1995–2013 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 Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Joe Nathan finished with 64 wins and 976 strikeouts; Mariano Rivera finished with 82 wins and 1,173 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Joe Nathan's 2.87.
- Who won more games? Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Joe Nathan's 64.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Joe Nathan's 976.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Joe Nathan's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Mariano Rivera, with 1,283.2 to Joe Nathan's 923.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mariano Rivera, with 52,571 career Pitcher PIV to Joe Nathan's 22,319.
Mariano Rivera
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 | Joe Nathan | Mariano Rivera |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 64 | Leads: 82 |
| Losses not scored | 34 | 60 |
| Games | 787 | Leads: 1,115 |
| Games Started | Leads: 29 | 10 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 377 | Leads: 652 |
| Strikeouts | 976 | Leads: 1,173 |
| Walks not scored | 344 | 286 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 690 | 998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 84 | 71 |
| Innings Pitched | 923.1 | Leads: 1,283.2 |
| ERA | 2.87 | Leads: 2.21 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.51 | 8.22 |
| BB/9 | 3.35 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Joe Nathan 52,571 to 22,319 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,767 PIV per season to 1,313, across 19 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).
Joe Nathan
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Mariano Rivera
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mariano Rivera leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Joe Nathan owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mariano Rivera. PIV agrees: Mariano Rivera 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 Mariano Rivera careers compare
The careers of Joe Nathan (1999–2016) and Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) overlapped from 1999 to 2013, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 787 games for Joe Nathan and 1,115 for Mariano Rivera across 17 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Joe Nathan's edges on the table are starts (29 to 10) and strikeouts per nine (9.51 to 8.22). By rate, Joe Nathan struck out 9.51 and walked 3.35 per nine innings; Mariano Rivera struck out 8.22 and walked 2.01.
Joe Nathan vs Mariano Rivera: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Nathan or Mariano Rivera?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mariano Rivera leads Joe Nathan in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Joe Nathan's 2.87.
- Who won more games?
- Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Joe Nathan's 64.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Joe Nathan's 976.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Joe Nathan's 1.12.