Roy Oswalt vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
Roy Oswalt has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Stephen Strasburg played 2010–2022 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 Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Roy Oswalt finished with 163 wins and 1,852 strikeouts; Stephen Strasburg finished with 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to Roy Oswalt's 3.36.
- Who won more games? Roy Oswalt, with 163 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roy Oswalt, with 1,852 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Roy Oswalt, with 2,245.1 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,470.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roy Oswalt, with 8 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roy Oswalt, with 55,095 career Pitcher PIV to Stephen Strasburg's 41,364.
Roy Oswalt
Stephen Strasburg
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, and the 2000s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roy Oswalt | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 113 |
| Losses not scored | 102 | 62 |
| Games | Leads: 365 | 247 |
| Games Started | Leads: 341 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 20 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 8 | 2 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,852 | 1,723 |
| Walks not scored | 520 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,199 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 197 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,245.1 | 1,470.0 |
| ERA | 3.36 | Leads: 3.24 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 7.42 | Leads: 10.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.08 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Oswalt leads Stephen Strasburg 55,095 to 41,364 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,935 PIV per season to 3,182, across 14 seasons to 13. 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)
Stephen Strasburg — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roy Oswalt leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Stephen Strasburg owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roy Oswalt. PIV agrees: Roy Oswalt grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roy Oswalt and Stephen Strasburg careers compare
From 2010 through 2013, Roy Oswalt and Stephen Strasburg were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 365 games for Roy Oswalt and 247 for Stephen Strasburg across 14 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Stephen Strasburg's edges on the table are ERA (3.24 to 3.36), WHIP (1.10 to 1.21), and strikeouts per nine (10.55 to 7.42). By rate, Roy Oswalt struck out 7.42 and walked 2.08 per nine innings; Stephen Strasburg struck out 10.55 and walked 2.41. Roy Oswalt was mainly a starter (341 starts in 365 games), and Stephen Strasburg was mainly a starter (247 starts in 247 games).
Roy Oswalt vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Oswalt or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roy Oswalt leads Stephen Strasburg in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to Roy Oswalt's 3.36.
- Who won more games?
- Roy Oswalt, with 163 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roy Oswalt, with 1,852 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to Roy Oswalt's 1.21.