Jonathan Papelbon vs Bobby Shantz: Career Stats Comparison
Jonathan Papelbon and Bobby Shantz are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jonathan Papelbon played 2005–2016 as a pitcher; Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964 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 Bobby Shantz (1949–1964) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jonathan Papelbon finished with 41 wins and 808 strikeouts; Bobby Shantz finished with 119 wins and 1,072 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 Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games? Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Jonathan Papelbon's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bobby Shantz, with 1,072 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Bobby Shantz, with 1,935.2 to Jonathan Papelbon's 725.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bobby Shantz, with 15 to Jonathan Papelbon's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bobby Shantz, with 24,845 career Pitcher PIV to Jonathan Papelbon's 24,416.
Jonathan Papelbon
Bobby Shantz
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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jonathan Papelbon | Bobby Shantz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 41 | Leads: 119 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 99 |
| Games | Leads: 689 | 537 |
| Games Started | 3 | Leads: 171 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 78 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 368 | 48 |
| Strikeouts | 808 | Leads: 1,072 |
| Walks not scored | 185 | 643 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 572 | 1,795 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 151 |
| Innings Pitched | 725.2 | Leads: 1,935.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.44 | 3.38 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.02 | 4.98 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.29 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Shantz edges Jonathan Papelbon 24,845 to 24,416 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Bobby Shantz played 19 seasons to Jonathan Papelbon's 13, while Jonathan Papelbon carries the higher per-season figure (1,878 to 1,308). 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.
Bobby Shantz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Shantz leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Jonathan Papelbon owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Shantz. PIV agrees: Bobby Shantz 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 Bobby Shantz careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bobby Shantz's ended in 1964, and Jonathan Papelbon debuted in 2005. The two careers are close in length, 689 games for Jonathan Papelbon and 537 for Bobby Shantz across 13 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 10.02 strikeouts and 2.29 walks for Jonathan Papelbon, 4.98 and 2.99 for Bobby Shantz. Their roles differ: Jonathan Papelbon worked mostly in relief (3 starts in 689 games, 368 saves); Bobby Shantz split time between starting and relief (171 starts in 537 games). Complete games (0 to 78) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Jonathan Papelbon vs Bobby Shantz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games?
- Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Jonathan Papelbon's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bobby Shantz, with 1,072 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.