Roy Oswalt vs Johan Santana: Career Stats Comparison
Roy Oswalt and Johan Santana are close to even, splitting the 12 statistical categories compared on this page 6–6. Roy Oswalt played 2001–2013 as a pitcher; Johan Santana played 2000–2012 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
Roy Oswalt (2001–2013) and Johan Santana (2000–2012) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Roy Oswalt compiled 163 wins and 1,852 strikeouts; Johan Santana put up 139 wins and 1,988 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Johan Santana, with 3.20 to Roy Oswalt's 3.36.
- Who won more games? Roy Oswalt, with 163 to Johan Santana's 139.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Johan Santana, with 1,988 to Roy Oswalt's 1,852.
- Who had the better WHIP? Johan Santana, with 1.13 to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Roy Oswalt, with 2,245 to Johan Santana's 2,025.
- Who threw more shutouts? Johan Santana, with 10 to Roy Oswalt's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roy Oswalt, with 55,095 career Pitcher PIV to Johan Santana's 48,732.
Roy Oswalt
Johan Santana
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Roy Oswalt | Johan Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 139 |
| Losses | 102 | 78 |
| Games | Leads: 365 | 360 |
| Games Started | Leads: 341 | 284 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 20 | 15 |
| Shutouts | 8 | Leads: 10 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,852 | Leads: 1,988 |
| Walks | 520 | 567 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,199 | 1,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 197 | 220 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,245 | 2,025 |
| ERA | 3.36 | Leads: 3.20 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 7.42 | Leads: 8.83 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.08 | 2.52 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Oswalt leads Johan Santana 55,095 to 48,732 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,935 vs 4,061 per year). 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 (120+ innings).
Roy Oswalt — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Johan Santana — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Johan Santana leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Roy Oswalt owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Johan Santana. Note that PIV actually grades Roy Oswalt ahead, which means Johan Santana's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Roy Oswalt vs Johan Santana: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Johan Santana, with 3.20 to Roy Oswalt's 3.36.
- Who won more games?
- Roy Oswalt, with 163 to Johan Santana's 139.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Johan Santana, with 1,988 to Roy Oswalt's 1,852.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Johan Santana, with 1.13 to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.