Roy Oswalt vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Adam Wainwright has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roy Oswalt played 2001–2013 as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright played 2005–2023 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 Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) — both debuted in the 2000s. Roy Oswalt finished with 163 wins and 1,852 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright finished with 200 wins and 2,202 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Adam Wainwright, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Roy Oswalt's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Roy Oswalt's 1,852.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roy Oswalt, with 1.21 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- How many innings did each pitch? Roy Oswalt 2,245.1, Adam Wainwright 2,668.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Roy Oswalt's 8.
Roy Oswalt
Adam Wainwright
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. 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 | Roy Oswalt | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses not scored | 102 | 128 |
| Games not scored | 365 | 478 |
| Games Started not scored | 341 | 411 |
| Complete Games | 20 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 8 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | 1,852 | Leads: 2,202 |
| Walks not scored | 520 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,199 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 197 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,245.1 | 2,668.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.36 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.21 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 7.42 | Leads: 7.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.08 | 2.48 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Oswalt leads Adam Wainwright 55,095 to 44,617 — driven by per-season impact — 4,238 PIV per season to 2,479 — rather than by longevity, since Roy Oswalt played 13 seasons to Adam Wainwright's 18. 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Adam Wainwright leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Roy Oswalt leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Adam Wainwright. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Roy Oswalt higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roy Oswalt and Adam Wainwright careers compare
The careers of Roy Oswalt (2001–2013) and Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) overlapped from 2005 to 2013, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 365 games against 478 across 13 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Roy Oswalt's edges on the table are ERA (3.36 to 3.53), WHIP (1.21 to 1.24), and walks per nine (2.08 to 2.48). By rate, Roy Oswalt struck out 7.42 and walked 2.08 per nine innings; Adam Wainwright struck out 7.43 and walked 2.48. Both had the same role: Roy Oswalt was mainly a starter (341 starts in 365 games); Adam Wainwright was mainly a starter (411 starts in 478 games).
Roy Oswalt vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Oswalt or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Adam Wainwright leads Roy Oswalt in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Roy Oswalt's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Roy Oswalt's 1,852.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roy Oswalt, with 1.21 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.