Jonathan Papelbon vs David Robertson: Career Stats Comparison
Jonathan Papelbon has the better career line of the two, leading 4 of the 6 scored categories on this page (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jonathan Papelbon played 2005–2016 as a pitcher; David Robertson played 2008–2025 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 David Robertson (2008–2025) — both debuted in the 2000s. Jonathan Papelbon finished with 41 wins and 808 strikeouts; David Robertson finished with 68 wins and 1,176 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jonathan Papelbon, in 4 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves? Jonathan Papelbon, with 368 to David Robertson's 179.
- Who had the better ERA? Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to David Robertson's 2.93.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Robertson, with 1,176 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to David Robertson's 1.16.
- Who struck out more batters per nine innings? David Robertson, with 11.83 to Jonathan Papelbon's 10.02.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? David Robertson, with 25,283 career Pitcher PIV to Jonathan Papelbon's 24,416.
Jonathan Papelbon
David Robertson
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. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | David Robertson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 41 | 68 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 46 |
| Games not scored | 689 | 881 |
| Games Started not scored | 3 | 1 |
| Complete Games not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 368 | 179 |
| Strikeouts | 808 | Leads: 1,176 |
| Walks not scored | 185 | 365 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 572 | 674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 81 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 725.2 | 894.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.44 | 2.93 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.16 |
| K/9 | 10.02 | Leads: 11.83 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.29 | 3.67 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Robertson edges Jonathan Papelbon 25,283 to 24,416 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: David Robertson played 17 seasons to Jonathan Papelbon's 12, while Jonathan Papelbon carries the higher per-season figure (2,035 to 1,487). 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 (40+ innings).
Jonathan Papelbon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
David Robertson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Jonathan Papelbon leads 4 of the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card: saves, ERA, WHIP, and walks per nine. David Robertson leads 2: strikeouts and strikeouts per nine. Both are scored as relievers. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jonathan Papelbon. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades David Robertson higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jonathan Papelbon and David Robertson careers compare
Jonathan Papelbon and David Robertson were active at the same time between 2008 and 2016. With 689 games against 881 across 12 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where David Robertson comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts (1,176 to 808) and strikeouts per nine (11.83 to 10.02). The per-nine rows read 10.02 strikeouts and 2.29 walks for Jonathan Papelbon, 11.83 and 3.67 for David Robertson. Both had the same role: Jonathan Papelbon worked mostly in relief (3 starts in 689 games, 368 saves); David Robertson worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 881 games, 179 saves). Jonathan Papelbon allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to David Robertson's 1.16.
Jonathan Papelbon vs David Robertson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jonathan Papelbon or David Robertson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jonathan Papelbon leads David Robertson in 4 of the 6 scored categories.
- Who had more saves?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 368 to David Robertson's 179.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to David Robertson's 2.93.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Robertson, with 1,176 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to David Robertson's 1.16.