Jonathan Papelbon vs Glen Perkins: Career Stats Comparison
Jonathan Papelbon 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). Jonathan Papelbon played 2005–2016 as a pitcher; Glen Perkins played 2006–2017 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 Glen Perkins (2006–2017) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jonathan Papelbon finished with 41 wins and 808 strikeouts; Glen Perkins finished with 35 wins and 504 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 Glen Perkins's 3.88.
- Who won more games? Jonathan Papelbon, with 41 to Glen Perkins's 35.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jonathan Papelbon, with 808 to Glen Perkins's 504.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Glen Perkins's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Jonathan Papelbon, with 725.2 to Glen Perkins's 624.1.
- 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 Glen Perkins's 3,175.
Jonathan Papelbon
Glen Perkins
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jonathan Papelbon | Glen Perkins |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 41 | 35 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 25 |
| Games | Leads: 689 | 409 |
| Games Started | 3 | Leads: 44 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 368 | 120 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 808 | 504 |
| Walks not scored | 185 | 158 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 572 | 646 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 74 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 725.2 | 624.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.44 | 3.88 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.29 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.02 | 7.27 |
| BB/9 | 2.29 | Leads: 2.28 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jonathan Papelbon outpaces Glen Perkins 24,416 to 3,175 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,878 PIV per season to 265, across 13 seasons to 12. 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.
Glen Perkins — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jonathan Papelbon leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Glen Perkins 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 Glen Perkins careers compare
The careers of Jonathan Papelbon (2005–2016) and Glen Perkins (2006–2017) overlapped from 2006 to 2016, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 689 games of Jonathan Papelbon with 409 of Glen Perkins across 13 and 12 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Glen Perkins's edges on the table are starts (44 to 3) and walks per nine (2.28 to 2.29). By rate, Jonathan Papelbon struck out 10.02 and walked 2.29 per nine innings; Glen Perkins struck out 7.27 and walked 2.28.
Jonathan Papelbon vs Glen Perkins: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jonathan Papelbon or Glen Perkins?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jonathan Papelbon leads Glen Perkins in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Glen Perkins's 3.88.
- Who won more games?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 41 to Glen Perkins's 35.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 808 to Glen Perkins's 504.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Glen Perkins's 1.29.