Robb Nen vs Kerry Wood: Career Stats Comparison
Kerry Wood 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; Kerry Wood played 1998–2012 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 Kerry Wood (1998–2012) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Robb Nen finished with 45 wins and 793 strikeouts; Kerry Wood finished with 86 wins and 1,582 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 Kerry Wood's 3.67.
- Who won more games? Kerry Wood, with 86 to Robb Nen's 45.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Kerry Wood, with 1,582 to Robb Nen's 793.
- Who had the better WHIP? Robb Nen, with 1.21 to Kerry Wood's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Kerry Wood, with 1,380.0 to Robb Nen's 715.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Kerry Wood, with 5 to Robb Nen's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Robb Nen, with 28,255 career Pitcher PIV to Kerry Wood's 20,852.
Kerry Wood
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 | Kerry Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 45 | Leads: 86 |
| Losses not scored | 42 | 75 |
| Games | Leads: 643 | 446 |
| Games Started | 4 | Leads: 178 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 11 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 314 | 63 |
| Strikeouts | 793 | Leads: 1,582 |
| Walks not scored | 260 | 666 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 607 | 1,083 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 51 | 148 |
| Innings Pitched | 715.0 | Leads: 1,380.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.98 | 3.67 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.21 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 9.98 | Leads: 10.32 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.27 | 4.34 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robb Nen outpaces Kerry Wood 28,255 to 20,852 — driven by per-season impact — 2,569 PIV per season to 1,390 — rather than by longevity, since Robb Nen played 11 seasons to Kerry Wood's 15. 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.
Kerry Wood — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kerry Wood leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Robb Nen owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kerry Wood. Note that PIV actually grades Robb Nen ahead, which means Kerry Wood's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Robb Nen and Kerry Wood careers compare
The careers of Robb Nen (1993–2002) and Kerry Wood (1998–2012) overlapped from 1998 to 2002, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 643 games against 446 across 11 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Robb Nen struck out 9.98 and walked 3.27 per nine innings; Kerry Wood struck out 10.32 and walked 4.34. Their roles differ: Robb Nen worked mostly in relief (4 starts in 643 games, 314 saves); Kerry Wood split time between starting and relief (178 starts in 446 games). Robb Nen allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.21 WHIP to Kerry Wood's 1.27.
Robb Nen vs Kerry Wood: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robb Nen or Kerry Wood?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Kerry Wood leads Robb Nen in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Robb Nen, with 2.98 to Kerry Wood's 3.67.
- Who won more games?
- Kerry Wood, with 86 to Robb Nen's 45.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Kerry Wood, with 1,582 to Robb Nen's 793.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Robb Nen, with 1.21 to Kerry Wood's 1.27.