Joe Nathan vs Joakim Soria: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Nathan (1999–2016) and Joakim Soria (2007–2021) — 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; Joakim Soria put up 36 wins and 831 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Joakim Soria
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 | Joakim Soria |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 64 | 36 |
| Losses | 34 | 45 |
| Games | 787 | 773 |
| Games Started | 29 | 1 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 377 | 229 |
| Strikeouts | 976 | 831 |
| Walks | 344 | 231 |
| Hits Allowed | 690 | 633 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 84 | 67 |
| Innings Pitched | 923 | 763 |
| ERA | 2.87 | 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | 1.13 |
| K/9 | 9.51 | 9.80 |
| BB/9 | 3.35 | 2.72 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Nathan edges Joakim Soria 22,319 to 21,162 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,313 vs 1,176 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)
Joakim Soria — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Joe Nathan leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Joakim Soria owns K/9. 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.