Joe Nathan vs Francisco Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Nathan (1999–2016) and Francisco Rodriguez (2002–2017) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Joe Nathan compiled 64 wins and 976 strikeouts; Francisco Rodriguez put up 52 wins and 1,142 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Francisco Rodriguez
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Joe Nathan | Francisco Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 64 | 52 |
| Losses | 34 | 53 |
| Games | 787 | 948 |
| Games Started | 29 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 377 | 437 |
| Strikeouts | 976 | 1,142 |
| Walks | 344 | 389 |
| Hits Allowed | 690 | 738 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 84 | 98 |
| Innings Pitched | 923 | 976 |
| ERA | 2.87 | 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | 1.15 |
| K/9 | 9.51 | 10.53 |
| BB/9 | 3.35 | 3.59 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Nathan edges Francisco Rodriguez 22,319 to 21,669 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,313 vs 1,204 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Joe Nathan — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Francisco Rodriguez — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Francisco Rodriguez leads in strikeouts, ERA, K/9, and innings pitched, while Joe Nathan owns wins and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Francisco Rodriguez. Note that PIV actually grades Joe Nathan ahead, which means Francisco Rodriguez's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.