Roy Oswalt vs Jake Peavy: Career Stats Comparison
Jake Peavy has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roy Oswalt played 2001–2013 as a pitcher; Jake Peavy played 2002–2016 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
Roy Oswalt (2001–2013) and Jake Peavy (2002–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Roy Oswalt finished with 163 wins and 1,852 strikeouts; Jake Peavy finished with 152 wins and 2,207 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to Jake Peavy's 3.63.
- Who won more games? Roy Oswalt, with 163 to Jake Peavy's 152.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jake Peavy, with 2,207 to Roy Oswalt's 1,852.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jake Peavy, with 1.20 to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Jake Peavy, with 2,377.0 to Roy Oswalt's 2,245.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roy Oswalt, with 8 to Jake Peavy's 6.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roy Oswalt, with 55,095 career Pitcher PIV to Jake Peavy's 34,745.
Roy Oswalt
Jake Peavy
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 | Roy Oswalt | Jake Peavy |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 152 |
| Losses not scored | 102 | 126 |
| Games | 365 | Leads: 388 |
| Games Started | 341 | Leads: 377 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 20 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 8 | 6 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,852 | Leads: 2,207 |
| Walks not scored | 520 | 708 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,199 | 2,134 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 197 | 259 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,245.1 | Leads: 2,377.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.36 | 3.63 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.20 |
| K/9 | 7.42 | Leads: 8.36 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.08 | 2.68 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Oswalt outpaces Jake Peavy 55,095 to 34,745 — driven by per-season impact — 3,935 PIV per season to 1,930 — rather than by longevity, since Roy Oswalt played 14 seasons to Jake Peavy's 18. 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).
Roy Oswalt — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jake Peavy — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jake Peavy leads in strikeouts, WHIP, K/9, and innings pitched, while Roy Oswalt owns wins and ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jake Peavy. Note that PIV actually grades Roy Oswalt ahead, which means Jake Peavy's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roy Oswalt and Jake Peavy careers compare
From 2002 through 2013, Roy Oswalt and Jake Peavy were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 365 games for Roy Oswalt and 388 for Jake Peavy across 14 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 7.42 strikeouts and 2.08 walks for Roy Oswalt, 8.36 and 2.68 for Jake Peavy. Both had the same role: Roy Oswalt was mainly a starter (341 starts in 365 games); Jake Peavy was mainly a starter (377 starts in 388 games). Jake Peavy allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.20 WHIP to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.
Roy Oswalt vs Jake Peavy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Oswalt or Jake Peavy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jake Peavy leads Roy Oswalt in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to Jake Peavy's 3.63.
- Who won more games?
- Roy Oswalt, with 163 to Jake Peavy's 152.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jake Peavy, with 2,207 to Roy Oswalt's 1,852.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jake Peavy, with 1.20 to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.