Mariano Rivera vs Brian Wilson: Career Stats Comparison
Mariano Rivera has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mariano Rivera played 1995–2013 as a pitcher; Brian Wilson played 2006–2014 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 Brian Wilson (2006–2014) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mariano Rivera finished with 82 wins and 1,173 strikeouts; Brian Wilson finished with 24 wins and 407 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 Brian Wilson's 3.30.
- Who won more games? Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Brian Wilson's 24.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Brian Wilson's 407.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Brian Wilson's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Mariano Rivera, with 1,283.2 to Brian Wilson's 382.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mariano Rivera, with 52,571 career Pitcher PIV to Brian Wilson's 9,257.
Mariano Rivera
Brian Wilson
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, and the 1990s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mariano Rivera | Brian Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 82 | 24 |
| Losses not scored | 60 | 25 |
| Games | Leads: 1,115 | 394 |
| Games Started | Leads: 10 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 652 | 172 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,173 | 407 |
| Walks not scored | 286 | 175 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 998 | 343 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 71 | 22 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,283.2 | 382.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.21 | 3.30 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.36 |
| K/9 | 8.22 | Leads: 9.59 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.01 | 4.12 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Brian Wilson 52,571 to 9,257 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,767 PIV per season to 1,029, across 19 seasons to 9. 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).
Mariano Rivera
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Brian Wilson
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mariano Rivera leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Brian Wilson owns 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.
Related Matchups
How the Mariano Rivera and Brian Wilson careers compare
The careers of Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) and Brian Wilson (2006–2014) overlapped from 2006 to 2013, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Mariano Rivera has the far longer record, 1,115 games against 394 across 19 and 9 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Brian Wilson's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (9.59 to 8.22). By rate, Mariano Rivera struck out 8.22 and walked 2.01 per nine innings; Brian Wilson struck out 9.59 and walked 4.12. Mariano Rivera worked mostly in relief (10 starts in 1,115 games, 652 saves), and Brian Wilson worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 394 games, 172 saves).
Mariano Rivera vs Brian Wilson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mariano Rivera or Brian Wilson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mariano Rivera leads Brian Wilson in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Brian Wilson's 3.30.
- Who won more games?
- Mariano Rivera, with 82 to Brian Wilson's 24.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1,173 to Brian Wilson's 407.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Brian Wilson's 1.36.