Mariano Rivera vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mariano Rivera compiled 82 wins and 1,173 strikeouts; Billy Wagner put up 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Mariano Rivera
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Mariano Rivera | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 82 | 47 |
| Losses | 60 | 40 |
| Games | 1,115 | 853 |
| Games Started | 10 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 652 | 422 |
| Strikeouts | 1,173 | 1,196 |
| Walks | 286 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed | 998 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 71 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,283 | 903 |
| ERA | 2.21 | 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| K/9 | 8.22 | 11.92 |
| BB/9 | 2.01 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Billy Wagner 52,571 to 38,470 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,767 vs 2,263 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Mariano Rivera — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Billy Wagner — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mariano Rivera leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Billy Wagner owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mariano Rivera. PIV agrees: Mariano Rivera grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.