Andy Pettitte vs Mariano Rivera: Career Stats Comparison
Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Andy Pettitte played 1995–2013 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
Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) and Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Andy Pettitte finished with 256 wins and 2,448 strikeouts; Mariano Rivera finished with 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 Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Mariano Rivera's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Andy Pettitte, with 2,448 to Mariano Rivera's 1,173.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Andy Pettitte, with 3,316.0 to Mariano Rivera's 1,283.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Andy Pettitte, with 4 to Mariano Rivera's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Andy Pettitte, with 57,293 career Pitcher PIV to Mariano Rivera's 52,571.
Andy Pettitte
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. 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 | Andy Pettitte | Mariano Rivera |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 256 | 82 |
| Losses not scored | 153 | 60 |
| Games | 531 | Leads: 1,115 |
| Games Started | Leads: 521 | 10 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 26 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 652 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,448 | 1,173 |
| Walks not scored | 1,031 | 286 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,448 | 998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 288 | 71 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,316.0 | 1,283.2 |
| ERA | 3.85 | Leads: 2.21 |
| WHIP | 1.35 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 6.64 | Leads: 8.22 |
| BB/9 | 2.80 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Andy Pettitte leads Mariano Rivera 57,293 to 52,571 — driven by per-season impact — 3,183 PIV per season to 2,767 — rather than by longevity, since Andy Pettitte played 18 seasons to Mariano Rivera's 19. 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).
Andy Pettitte — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Mariano Rivera
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Andy Pettitte leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Mariano Rivera owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Andy Pettitte. PIV agrees: Andy Pettitte grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera careers compare
From 1995 through 2013, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera were in the majors together. The table compares 531 games of Andy Pettitte with 1,115 of Mariano Rivera across 18 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, Andy Pettitte struck out 6.64 and walked 2.80 per nine innings; Mariano Rivera struck out 8.22 and walked 2.01. Andy Pettitte was mainly a starter (521 starts in 531 games), while Mariano Rivera worked mostly in relief (10 starts in 1,115 games, 652 saves). In WHIP, Mariano Rivera's 1.00 beats Andy Pettitte's 1.35. Only Andy Pettitte has a season on the peak list; Mariano Rivera never reached the qualifying workload.
Andy Pettitte vs Mariano Rivera: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Mariano Rivera's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Andy Pettitte, with 2,448 to Mariano Rivera's 1,173.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.