Joe Nathan vs David Robertson: 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; David Robertson played 2008–2025 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 David Robertson (2008–2025) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Joe Nathan finished with 64 wins and 976 strikeouts; David Robertson finished with 68 wins and 1,176 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 David Robertson's 2.93.
- Who won more games? David Robertson, with 68 to Joe Nathan's 64.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Robertson, with 1,176 to Joe Nathan's 976.
- Who had the better WHIP? Joe Nathan, with 1.12 to David Robertson's 1.16.
- Who pitched more innings? Joe Nathan, with 923.1 to David Robertson's 894.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? David Robertson, with 25,283 career Pitcher PIV to Joe Nathan's 22,319.
David Robertson
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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Joe Nathan | David Robertson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 64 | Leads: 68 |
| Losses not scored | 34 | 46 |
| Games | 787 | Leads: 881 |
| Games Started | Leads: 29 | 1 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 377 | 179 |
| Strikeouts | 976 | Leads: 1,176 |
| Walks not scored | 344 | 365 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 690 | 674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 84 | 81 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 923.1 | 894.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.87 | 2.93 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.16 |
| K/9 | 9.51 | Leads: 11.83 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.35 | 3.67 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Robertson leads Joe Nathan 25,283 to 22,319 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: David Robertson played 20 seasons to Joe Nathan's 17, while Joe Nathan carries the higher per-season figure (1,313 to 1,264). 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.
David Robertson
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Robertson leads in wins, strikeouts, and K/9, while Joe Nathan owns ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Robertson. PIV agrees: David Robertson 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 David Robertson careers compare
From 2008 through 2016, Joe Nathan and David Robertson were in the majors together. With 787 games against 881 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. David Robertson's edges on the table are wins (68 to 64), games (881 to 787), and strikeouts (1,176 to 976). The per-nine rows read 9.51 strikeouts and 3.35 walks for Joe Nathan, 11.83 and 3.67 for David Robertson. Both had the same role: Joe Nathan worked mostly in relief (29 starts in 787 games, 377 saves); David Robertson worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 881 games, 179 saves). In WHIP, Joe Nathan's 1.12 beats David Robertson's 1.16.
Joe Nathan vs David Robertson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Nathan or David Robertson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Nathan leads David Robertson in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe Nathan, with 2.87 to David Robertson's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- David Robertson, with 68 to Joe Nathan's 64.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Robertson, with 1,176 to Joe Nathan's 976.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Joe Nathan, with 1.12 to David Robertson's 1.16.