Francisco Rodriguez vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Francisco Rodriguez (2002–2017) and Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Francisco Rodriguez compiled 52 wins and 1,142 strikeouts; Billy Wagner put up 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Francisco Rodriguez
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 | Francisco Rodriguez | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 52 | 47 |
| Losses | 53 | 40 |
| Games | 948 | 853 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 437 | 422 |
| Strikeouts | 1,142 | 1,196 |
| Walks | 389 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed | 738 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 98 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | 976 | 903 |
| ERA | 2.86 | 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | 1.00 |
| K/9 | 10.53 | 11.92 |
| BB/9 | 3.59 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner outpaces Francisco Rodriguez 38,470 to 21,669 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,263 vs 1,204 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).
Francisco Rodriguez — 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, Billy Wagner leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Francisco Rodriguez owns wins 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.