David Price vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Adam Wainwright 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). David Price played 2008–2022 as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright played 2005–2023 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
David Price (2008–2022) and Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. David Price finished with 157 wins and 2,076 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright finished with 200 wins and 2,202 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? David Price, with 3.32 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to David Price's 157.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to David Price's 2,076.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Price, with 1.16 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Adam Wainwright, with 2,668.1 to David Price's 2,143.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to David Price's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Adam Wainwright, with 44,617 career Pitcher PIV to David Price's 36,995.
David Price
Adam Wainwright
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 | David Price | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 157 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses not scored | 82 | 128 |
| Games | 400 | Leads: 478 |
| Games Started | 322 | Leads: 411 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 3 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves | 3 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | 2,076 | Leads: 2,202 |
| Walks not scored | 562 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,930 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 221 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,143.2 | Leads: 2,668.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.32 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.16 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.72 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.36 | 2.48 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Adam Wainwright leads David Price 44,617 to 36,995 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,479 PIV per season to 2,312, across 18 seasons to 16. 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).
David Price — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Adam Wainwright leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while David Price owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Adam Wainwright. PIV agrees: Adam Wainwright grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the David Price and Adam Wainwright careers compare
The careers of David Price (2008–2022) and Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) overlapped from 2008 to 2022, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 400 games against 478 across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where David Price comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.32 to 3.53), WHIP (1.16 to 1.24), and strikeouts per nine (8.72 to 7.43). By rate, David Price struck out 8.72 and walked 2.36 per nine innings; Adam Wainwright struck out 7.43 and walked 2.48.
David Price vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Price or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Adam Wainwright leads David Price in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Price, with 3.32 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to David Price's 157.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to David Price's 2,076.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Price, with 1.16 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.