Jonathan Papelbon vs Joakim Soria: Career Stats Comparison
Jonathan Papelbon has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Joakim Soria played 2007–2021 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 Joakim Soria (2007–2021) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jonathan Papelbon finished with 41 wins and 808 strikeouts; Joakim Soria finished with 36 wins and 831 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 Joakim Soria's 3.11.
- Who won more games? Jonathan Papelbon, with 41 to Joakim Soria's 36.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Joakim Soria, with 831 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Joakim Soria's 1.13.
- Who pitched more innings? Joakim Soria, with 763.0 to Jonathan Papelbon's 725.2.
- 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 Joakim Soria's 21,162.
Jonathan Papelbon
Joakim Soria
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 | Joakim Soria |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 41 | 36 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 45 |
| Games | 689 | Leads: 773 |
| Games Started | Leads: 3 | 1 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 368 | 229 |
| Strikeouts | 808 | Leads: 831 |
| Walks not scored | 185 | 231 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 572 | 633 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 67 |
| Innings Pitched | 725.2 | Leads: 763.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.44 | 3.11 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.02 | 9.80 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.29 | 2.72 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jonathan Papelbon leads Joakim Soria 24,416 to 21,162 — driven by per-season impact — 1,878 PIV per season to 1,176 — rather than by longevity, since Jonathan Papelbon played 13 seasons to Joakim Soria's 18. 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.
Joakim Soria
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, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Joakim Soria owns strikeouts and innings pitched. 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 Joakim Soria careers compare
From 2007 through 2016, Jonathan Papelbon and Joakim Soria were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 689 games for Jonathan Papelbon and 773 for Joakim Soria across 13 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Joakim Soria's edges on the table are games (773 to 689), strikeouts (831 to 808), and innings (763.0 to 725.2). By rate, Jonathan Papelbon struck out 10.02 and walked 2.29 per nine innings; Joakim Soria struck out 9.80 and walked 2.72. Jonathan Papelbon worked mostly in relief (3 starts in 689 games, 368 saves), and Joakim Soria worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 773 games, 229 saves).
Jonathan Papelbon vs Joakim Soria: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jonathan Papelbon or Joakim Soria?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jonathan Papelbon leads Joakim Soria in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Joakim Soria's 3.11.
- Who won more games?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 41 to Joakim Soria's 36.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Joakim Soria, with 831 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Joakim Soria's 1.13.