Shane Reynolds vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Shane Reynolds 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). Shane Reynolds played 1992–2004 as a pitcher; Billy Wagner played 1995–2010 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
Shane Reynolds (1992–2004) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Shane Reynolds finished with 114 wins and 1,403 strikeouts; Billy Wagner finished with 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Shane Reynolds's 4.09.
- Who won more games? Shane Reynolds, with 114 to Billy Wagner's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Shane Reynolds, with 1,403 to Billy Wagner's 1,196.
- Who had the better WHIP? Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Shane Reynolds's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Shane Reynolds, with 1,791.2 to Billy Wagner's 903.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Shane Reynolds, with 7 to Billy Wagner's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Billy Wagner, with 38,470 career Pitcher PIV to Shane Reynolds's 37,791.
Shane Reynolds
Billy Wagner
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 | Shane Reynolds | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 114 | 47 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 40 |
| Games | 305 | Leads: 853 |
| Games Started | Leads: 278 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 20 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 7 | 0 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 422 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,403 | 1,196 |
| Walks not scored | 419 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,935 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 191 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,791.2 | 903.0 |
| ERA | 4.09 | Leads: 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 7.05 | Leads: 11.92 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.10 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner edges Shane Reynolds 38,470 to 37,791 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Billy Wagner played 17 seasons to Shane Reynolds's 13, while Shane Reynolds carries the higher per-season figure (2,907 to 2,263). 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).
Shane Reynolds — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Billy Wagner
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Wagner leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Shane Reynolds owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Billy Wagner. PIV agrees: Billy Wagner grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Shane Reynolds and Billy Wagner careers compare
The careers of Shane Reynolds (1992–2004) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) overlapped from 1995 to 2004, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Billy Wagner has the far longer record, 853 games against 305 across 13 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The per-nine rows read 7.05 strikeouts and 2.10 walks for Shane Reynolds, 11.92 and 2.99 for Billy Wagner. Their roles differ: Shane Reynolds was mainly a starter (278 starts in 305 games); Billy Wagner worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 853 games, 422 saves). Billy Wagner allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.00 WHIP to Shane Reynolds's 1.31.
Shane Reynolds vs Billy Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Shane Reynolds or Billy Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Shane Reynolds leads Billy Wagner in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Shane Reynolds's 4.09.
- Who won more games?
- Shane Reynolds, with 114 to Billy Wagner's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Shane Reynolds, with 1,403 to Billy Wagner's 1,196.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Shane Reynolds's 1.31.