Jonathan Papelbon vs Devin Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Jonathan Papelbon has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Devin Williams has played 2019–present 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 Devin Williams (2019–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jonathan Papelbon finished with 41 wins and 808 strikeouts; Devin Williams has 34 wins and 517 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. 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 Devin Williams's 2.69.
- Who won more games? Jonathan Papelbon, with 41 to Devin Williams's 34.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jonathan Papelbon, with 808 to Devin Williams's 517.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Devin Williams's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Jonathan Papelbon, with 725.2 to Devin Williams's 338.1.
- 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 Devin Williams's 13,215.
Jonathan Papelbon
Devin Williams
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Devin Williams is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jonathan Papelbon | Devin Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 41 | 34 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 18 |
| Games | Leads: 689 | 352 |
| Games Started | Leads: 3 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 368 | 102 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 808 | 517 |
| Walks not scored | 185 | 158 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 572 | 217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 725.2 | 338.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.44 | 2.69 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | 10.02 | Leads: 13.75 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.29 | 4.20 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jonathan Papelbon outpaces Devin Williams 24,416 to 13,215 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jonathan Papelbon played 13 seasons to Devin Williams's 7, while Devin Williams carries the higher per-season figure (1,888 to 1,878). 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.
Devin Williams
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, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Devin Williams owns K/9. 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 Devin Williams careers compare
No season is shared: Jonathan Papelbon played 2005–2016, Devin Williams 2019–present. Jonathan Papelbon has the far longer record, 689 games against 352 across 13 and 7 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Devin Williams's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (13.75 to 10.02). By rate, Jonathan Papelbon struck out 10.02 and walked 2.29 per nine innings; Devin Williams struck out 13.75 and walked 4.20. Both had the same role: Jonathan Papelbon worked mostly in relief (3 starts in 689 games, 368 saves); Devin Williams worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 352 games, 102 saves). Jonathan Papelbon allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to Devin Williams's 1.11. Devin Williams's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Jonathan Papelbon vs Devin Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jonathan Papelbon or Devin Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jonathan Papelbon leads Devin Williams in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Devin Williams's 2.69.
- Who won more games?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 41 to Devin Williams's 34.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 808 to Devin Williams's 517.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 1.04 to Devin Williams's 1.11.