Robb Nen vs Mariano Rivera: Career Stats Comparison
Mariano Rivera has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 6 scored categories on this page (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Robb Nen played 1993–2002 as a pitcher; Mariano Rivera played 1995–2013 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 Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) — both debuted in the 1990s. Robb Nen finished with 45 wins and 793 strikeouts; Mariano Rivera finished with 82 wins and 1,173 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Mariano Rivera, in 5 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves? Mariano Rivera, with 652 to Robb Nen's 314.
- Who had the better ERA? Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Robb Nen's 2.98.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Robb Nen's 793.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Robb Nen's 1.21.
- Who struck out more batters per nine innings? Robb Nen, with 9.98 to Mariano Rivera's 8.22.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mariano Rivera, with 52,571 career Pitcher PIV to Robb Nen's 28,255.
Mariano Rivera
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. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Mariano Rivera |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 45 | 82 |
| Losses not scored | 42 | 60 |
| Games not scored | 643 | 1,115 |
| Games Started not scored | 4 | 10 |
| Complete Games not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 314 | Leads: 652 |
| Strikeouts | 793 | Leads: 1,173 |
| Walks not scored | 260 | 286 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 607 | 998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 51 | 71 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 715.0 | 1,283.2 |
| ERA | 2.98 | Leads: 2.21 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.98 | 8.22 |
| BB/9 | 3.27 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Robb Nen 52,571 to 28,255 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Mariano Rivera played 19 seasons to Robb Nen's 10, while Robb Nen carries the higher per-season figure (2,825 to 2,767). 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 (40+ innings).
Robb Nen — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Mariano Rivera — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Mariano Rivera leads 5 of the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card: saves, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Robb Nen leads 1: strikeouts per nine. Both are scored as relievers. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mariano Rivera. PIV agrees: Mariano Rivera 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 Mariano Rivera careers compare
The careers of Robb Nen (1993–2002) and Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) overlapped from 1995 to 2002, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Robb Nen appeared in 643 games to Mariano Rivera's 1,115. The green cells for Robb Nen are strikeouts per nine (9.98 to 8.22). By rate, Robb Nen struck out 9.98 and walked 3.27 per nine innings; Mariano Rivera struck out 8.22 and walked 2.01. Robb Nen worked mostly in relief (4 starts in 643 games, 314 saves), and Mariano Rivera worked mostly in relief (10 starts in 1,115 games, 652 saves).
Robb Nen vs Mariano Rivera: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robb Nen or Mariano Rivera?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mariano Rivera leads Robb Nen in 5 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves?
- Mariano Rivera, with 652 to Robb Nen's 314.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Robb Nen's 2.98.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Robb Nen's 793.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Robb Nen's 1.21.