Jonathan Papelbon vs Troy Percival: Career Stats Comparison
Jonathan Papelbon 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). Jonathan Papelbon played 2005–2016 as a pitcher; Troy Percival played 1995–2009 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
Jonathan Papelbon (2005–2016) and Troy Percival (1995–2009) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jonathan Papelbon finished with 41 wins and 808 strikeouts; Troy Percival finished with 35 wins and 781 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Troy Percival's 3.17.
- Who won more games? Jonathan Papelbon, with 41 to Troy Percival's 35.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jonathan Papelbon, with 808 to Troy Percival's 781.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Troy Percival's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Jonathan Papelbon, with 725.2 to Troy Percival's 708.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jonathan Papelbon, with 24,416 career Pitcher PIV to Troy Percival's 10,919.
Jonathan Papelbon
Troy Percival
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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jonathan Papelbon | Troy Percival |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 41 | 35 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 43 |
| Games | 689 | Leads: 703 |
| Games Started | Leads: 3 | 1 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 368 | 358 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 808 | 781 |
| Walks not scored | 185 | 306 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 572 | 479 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 85 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 725.2 | 708.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.44 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.02 | 9.92 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.29 | 3.89 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jonathan Papelbon outpaces Troy Percival 24,416 to 10,919 — driven by per-season impact — 1,878 PIV per season to 780 — rather than by longevity, since Jonathan Papelbon played 13 seasons to Troy Percival's 14. 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).
Jonathan Papelbon
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Troy Percival
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jonathan Papelbon leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Troy Percival owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jonathan Papelbon. PIV agrees: Jonathan Papelbon grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jonathan Papelbon and Troy Percival careers compare
Jonathan Papelbon and Troy Percival were active at the same time between 2005 and 2009. The two careers are close in length, 689 games for Jonathan Papelbon and 703 for Troy Percival across 13 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Troy Percival's edges on the table are games (703 to 689). By rate, Jonathan Papelbon struck out 10.02 and walked 2.29 per nine innings; Troy Percival struck out 9.92 and walked 3.89. Both had the same role: Jonathan Papelbon worked mostly in relief (3 starts in 689 games, 368 saves); Troy Percival worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 703 games, 358 saves).
Jonathan Papelbon vs Troy Percival: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jonathan Papelbon or Troy Percival?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jonathan Papelbon leads Troy Percival in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Troy Percival's 3.17.
- Who won more games?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 41 to Troy Percival's 35.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 808 to Troy Percival's 781.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Troy Percival's 1.11.