Roy Oswalt vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Adam Wainwright has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Roy Oswalt played 2001–2013 as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright has played 2005–present 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–present) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Roy Oswalt compiled 163 wins and 1,852 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright put up 200 wins and 2,202 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 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Adam Wainwright, with 2,668 to Roy Oswalt's 2,245.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Roy Oswalt's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roy Oswalt, with 55,095 career Pitcher PIV to Adam Wainwright's 44,617.
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. 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 | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses | 102 | 128 |
| Games | 365 | Leads: 478 |
| Games Started | 341 | Leads: 411 |
| Complete Games | 20 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 8 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | 1,852 | Leads: 2,202 |
| Walks | 520 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,199 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 197 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,245 | Leads: 2,668 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,935 vs 2,479 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Adam Wainwright leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Roy Oswalt owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Adam Wainwright. Note that PIV actually grades Roy Oswalt ahead, which means Adam Wainwright's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
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 9 of 12 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.