Robb Nen vs Troy Percival: Career Stats Comparison
Robb Nen 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). Robb Nen played 1993–2002 as a pitcher; Troy Percival played 1995–2009 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
Robb Nen (1993–2002) and Troy Percival (1995–2009) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Robb Nen finished with 45 wins and 793 strikeouts; Troy Percival finished with 35 wins and 781 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Robb Nen, with 2.98 to Troy Percival's 3.17.
- Who won more games? Robb Nen, with 45 to Troy Percival's 35.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Robb Nen, with 793 to Troy Percival's 781.
- Who had the better WHIP? Troy Percival, with 1.11 to Robb Nen's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Robb Nen, with 715.0 to Troy Percival's 708.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Robb Nen, with 28,255 career Pitcher PIV to Troy Percival's 10,919.
Troy Percival
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 | Robb Nen | Troy Percival |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 45 | 35 |
| Losses not scored | 42 | 43 |
| Games | 643 | Leads: 703 |
| Games Started | Leads: 4 | 1 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 314 | Leads: 358 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 793 | 781 |
| Walks not scored | 260 | 306 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 607 | 479 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 51 | 85 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 715.0 | 708.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.98 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.98 | 9.92 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.27 | 3.89 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robb Nen outpaces Troy Percival 28,255 to 10,919 — driven by per-season impact — 2,569 PIV per season to 780 — rather than by longevity, since Robb Nen played 11 seasons to Troy Percival's 14. 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).
Robb Nen
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Troy Percival
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Robb Nen leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Troy Percival owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Robb Nen. PIV agrees: Robb Nen grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Robb Nen and Troy Percival careers compare
Robb Nen and Troy Percival were active at the same time between 1995 and 2002. The two careers are close in length, 643 games for Robb Nen and 703 for Troy Percival across 11 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Troy Percival comes out ahead, it is in games (703 to 643), saves (358 to 314), and WHIP (1.11 to 1.21). The per-nine rows read 9.98 strikeouts and 3.27 walks for Robb Nen, 9.92 and 3.89 for Troy Percival.
Robb Nen vs Troy Percival: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robb Nen or Troy Percival?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Robb Nen leads Troy Percival in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Robb Nen, with 2.98 to Troy Percival's 3.17.
- Who won more games?
- Robb Nen, with 45 to Troy Percival's 35.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Robb Nen, with 793 to Troy Percival's 781.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Troy Percival, with 1.11 to Robb Nen's 1.21.