Mariano Rivera vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Mariano Rivera and Billy Wagner are close to even, splitting the 6 scored categories on this page 3–3 (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mariano Rivera played 1995–2013 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
Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — both debuted in the 1990s. Mariano Rivera finished with 82 wins and 1,173 strikeouts; Billy Wagner finished with 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 6 scored categories 3–3.
- Who had more saves? Mariano Rivera, with 652 to Billy Wagner's 422.
- Who had the better ERA? Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Billy Wagner's 2.31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Mariano Rivera's 1,173.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.00.
- Who struck out more batters per nine innings? Billy Wagner, with 11.92 to Mariano Rivera's 8.22.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mariano Rivera, with 52,571 career Pitcher PIV to Billy Wagner's 38,470.
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. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Mariano Rivera | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 82 | 47 |
| Losses not scored | 60 | 40 |
| Games not scored | 1,115 | 853 |
| Games Started not scored | 10 | 0 |
| Complete Games not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 652 | 422 |
| Strikeouts | 1,173 | Leads: 1,196 |
| Walks not scored | 286 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 998 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 71 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,283.2 | 903.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.21 | 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.00 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 8.22 | Leads: 11.92 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.01 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Billy Wagner 52,571 to 38,470 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,767 PIV per season to 2,404, across 19 seasons to 16. 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 (40+ innings).
Mariano Rivera — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Billy Wagner — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Mariano Rivera and Billy Wagner split the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card 3-3. Both are scored as relievers. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Mariano Rivera higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mariano Rivera and Billy Wagner careers compare
The careers of Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) overlapped from 1995 to 2010, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,115 games against 853 across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Billy Wagner are strikeouts (1,196 to 1,173), WHIP (1.00 to 1.00), and strikeouts per nine (11.92 to 8.22). By rate, Mariano Rivera struck out 8.22 and walked 2.01 per nine innings; Billy Wagner struck out 11.92 and walked 2.99.
Mariano Rivera vs Billy Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mariano Rivera or Billy Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 6 scored categories 3–3.
- Who had more saves?
- Mariano Rivera, with 652 to Billy Wagner's 422.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Billy Wagner's 2.31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Mariano Rivera's 1,173.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.00.