Jonathan Papelbon vs Mariano Rivera: Career Stats Comparison
Mariano Rivera has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 10 statistical categories compared on this page. Jonathan Papelbon played 2005–2016 as a pitcher; Mariano Rivera played 1995–2013 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 Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jonathan Papelbon compiled 41 wins and 808 strikeouts; Mariano Rivera put up 82 wins and 1,173 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Jonathan Papelbon's 2.44.
- Who won more games? Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Jonathan Papelbon's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Jonathan Papelbon's 1.04.
- Who pitched more innings? Mariano Rivera, with 1,283 to Jonathan Papelbon's 725.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mariano Rivera, with 52,571 career Pitcher PIV to Jonathan Papelbon's 24,416.
Jonathan Papelbon
Mariano Rivera
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 | Jonathan Papelbon | Mariano Rivera |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 41 | Leads: 82 |
| Losses | 36 | 60 |
| Games | 689 | Leads: 1,115 |
| Games Started | 3 | Leads: 10 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 368 | Leads: 652 |
| Strikeouts | 808 | Leads: 1,173 |
| Walks | 185 | 286 |
| Hits Allowed | 572 | 998 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 57 | 71 |
| Innings Pitched | 725 | Leads: 1,283 |
| ERA | 2.44 | Leads: 2.21 |
| WHIP | 1.04 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.02 | 8.22 |
| BB/9 | 2.29 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Jonathan Papelbon 52,571 to 24,416 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,767 vs 1,878 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).
Jonathan Papelbon
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Mariano Rivera
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mariano Rivera leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jonathan Papelbon owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mariano Rivera. PIV agrees: Mariano Rivera grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Jonathan Papelbon vs Mariano Rivera: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jonathan Papelbon or Mariano Rivera?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mariano Rivera leads Jonathan Papelbon in 9 of 10 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Jonathan Papelbon's 2.44.
- Who won more games?
- Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Jonathan Papelbon's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Jonathan Papelbon's 1.04.