Roy Oswalt vs David Wells: Career Stats Comparison
David Wells has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; David Wells played 1987–2007 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 David Wells (1987–2007) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Roy Oswalt finished with 163 wins and 1,852 strikeouts; David Wells finished with 239 wins and 2,201 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 David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games? David Wells, with 239 to Roy Oswalt's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Wells, with 2,201 to Roy Oswalt's 1,852.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roy Oswalt, with 1.21 to David Wells's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? David Wells, with 3,439.0 to Roy Oswalt's 2,245.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? David Wells, with 12 to Roy Oswalt's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roy Oswalt, with 55,095 career Pitcher PIV to David Wells's 31,301.
Roy Oswalt
David Wells
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roy Oswalt | David Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 239 |
| Losses not scored | 102 | 157 |
| Games | 365 | Leads: 660 |
| Games Started | 341 | Leads: 489 |
| Complete Games | 20 | Leads: 54 |
| Shutouts | 8 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 13 |
| Strikeouts | 1,852 | Leads: 2,201 |
| Walks not scored | 520 | 719 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,199 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 197 | 407 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,245.1 | Leads: 3,439.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.36 | 4.13 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.21 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.42 | 5.76 |
| BB/9 | 2.08 | Leads: 1.88 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Oswalt outpaces David Wells 55,095 to 31,301 — driven by per-season impact — 3,935 PIV per season to 1,304 — rather than by longevity, since Roy Oswalt played 14 seasons to David Wells's 24. 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)
David Wells — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roy Oswalt leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while David Wells owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. 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 David Wells careers compare
The careers of Roy Oswalt (2001–2013) and David Wells (1987–2007) overlapped from 2001 to 2007, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 365 games of Roy Oswalt with 660 of David Wells across 14 and 24 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Roy Oswalt's edges on the table are ERA (3.36 to 4.13), WHIP (1.21 to 1.27), and strikeouts per nine (7.42 to 5.76). By rate, Roy Oswalt struck out 7.42 and walked 2.08 per nine innings; David Wells struck out 5.76 and walked 1.88.
Roy Oswalt vs David Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Oswalt or David Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Wells leads Roy Oswalt in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roy Oswalt, with 3.36 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games?
- David Wells, with 239 to Roy Oswalt's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Wells, with 2,201 to Roy Oswalt's 1,852.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roy Oswalt, with 1.21 to David Wells's 1.27.