David Robertson vs Francisco Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Francisco Rodriguez has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). David Robertson played 2008–2025 as a pitcher; Francisco Rodriguez played 2002–2017 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 Robertson (2008–2025) and Francisco Rodriguez (2002–2017) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. David Robertson finished with 68 wins and 1,176 strikeouts; Francisco Rodriguez finished with 52 wins and 1,142 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Francisco Rodriguez, with 2.86 to David Robertson's 2.93.
- Who won more games? David Robertson, with 68 to Francisco Rodriguez's 52.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Robertson, with 1,176 to Francisco Rodriguez's 1,142.
- Who had the better WHIP? Francisco Rodriguez, with 1.15 to David Robertson's 1.16.
- Who pitched more innings? Francisco Rodriguez, with 976.0 to David Robertson's 894.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? David Robertson, with 25,283 career Pitcher PIV to Francisco Rodriguez's 21,669.
David Robertson
Francisco Rodriguez
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 Robertson | Francisco Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 68 | 52 |
| Losses not scored | 46 | 53 |
| Games | 881 | Leads: 948 |
| Games Started | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 179 | Leads: 437 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,176 | 1,142 |
| Walks not scored | 365 | 389 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 674 | 738 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 81 | 98 |
| Innings Pitched | 894.1 | Leads: 976.0 |
| ERA | 2.93 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | Leads: 1.15 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.83 | 10.53 |
| BB/9 | 3.67 | Leads: 3.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Robertson leads Francisco Rodriguez 25,283 to 21,669 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,264 PIV per season to 1,204, across 20 seasons to 18. 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 Robertson
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Francisco Rodriguez
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Robertson leads in wins, strikeouts, and K/9, while Francisco Rodriguez owns ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Robertson. PIV agrees: David Robertson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the David Robertson and Francisco Rodriguez careers compare
From 2008 through 2017, David Robertson and Francisco Rodriguez were in the majors together. With 881 games against 948 across 20 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where David Robertson comes out ahead, it is in wins (68 to 52), starts (1 to 0), and strikeouts (1,176 to 1,142). The per-nine rows read 11.83 strikeouts and 3.67 walks for David Robertson, 10.53 and 3.59 for Francisco Rodriguez. Both had the same role: David Robertson worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 881 games, 179 saves); Francisco Rodriguez worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 948 games, 437 saves). In WHIP, Francisco Rodriguez's 1.15 beats David Robertson's 1.16.
David Robertson vs Francisco Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Robertson or Francisco Rodriguez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Francisco Rodriguez leads David Robertson in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 2.86 to David Robertson's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- David Robertson, with 68 to Francisco Rodriguez's 52.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Robertson, with 1,176 to Francisco Rodriguez's 1,142.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 1.15 to David Robertson's 1.16.