Joe Nathan vs Devin Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Joe Nathan has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Devin Williams has played 2019–present 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 Devin Williams (2019–present) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Joe Nathan finished with 64 wins and 976 strikeouts; Devin Williams has 34 wins and 517 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Devin Williams, with 2.69 to Joe Nathan's 2.87.
- Who won more games? Joe Nathan, with 64 to Devin Williams's 34.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Joe Nathan, with 976 to Devin Williams's 517.
- Who had the better WHIP? Devin Williams, with 1.11 to Joe Nathan's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Joe Nathan, with 923.1 to Devin Williams's 338.1.
- 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 Devin Williams's 13,215.
Devin Williams
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Devin Williams is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Joe Nathan | Devin Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 64 | 34 |
| Losses not scored | 34 | 18 |
| Games | Leads: 787 | 352 |
| Games Started | Leads: 29 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 377 | 102 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 976 | 517 |
| Walks not scored | 344 | 158 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 690 | 217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 84 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 923.1 | 338.1 |
| ERA | 2.87 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 9.51 | Leads: 13.75 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.35 | 4.20 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Joe Nathan outpaces Devin Williams 22,319 to 13,215 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Joe Nathan played 17 seasons to Devin Williams's 7, while Devin Williams carries the higher per-season figure (1,888 to 1,313). 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.
Devin Williams
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 wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Devin Williams owns ERA, WHIP, and 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.
Related Matchups
How the Joe Nathan and Devin Williams careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Joe Nathan's ended in 2016, and Devin Williams debuted in 2019. The table compares 787 games of Joe Nathan with 352 of Devin Williams across 17 and 7 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Devin Williams are ERA (2.69 to 2.87), WHIP (1.11 to 1.12), and strikeouts per nine (13.75 to 9.51). By rate, Joe Nathan struck out 9.51 and walked 3.35 per nine innings; Devin Williams struck out 13.75 and walked 4.20. Devin Williams's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Joe Nathan vs Devin Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe Nathan or Devin Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe Nathan leads Devin Williams in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Devin Williams, with 2.69 to Joe Nathan's 2.87.
- Who won more games?
- Joe Nathan, with 64 to Devin Williams's 34.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Joe Nathan, with 976 to Devin Williams's 517.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Devin Williams, with 1.11 to Joe Nathan's 1.12.