Fernando Valenzuela vs David Wells: Career Stats Comparison
Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) and David Wells (1987–2007) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Fernando Valenzuela compiled 173 wins and 2,074 strikeouts; David Wells put up 239 wins and 2,201 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Fernando Valenzuela
David Wells
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 | Fernando Valenzuela | David Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 173 | 239 |
| Losses | 153 | 157 |
| Games | 453 | 660 |
| Games Started | 424 | 489 |
| Complete Games | 113 | 54 |
| Shutouts | 31 | 12 |
| Saves | 2 | 13 |
| Strikeouts | 2,074 | 2,201 |
| Walks | 1,151 | 719 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,718 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 226 | 407 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,930 | 3,439 |
| ERA | 3.54 | 4.13 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 6.37 | 5.76 |
| BB/9 | 3.54 | 1.88 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Wells edges Fernando Valenzuela 31,301 to 30,102 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,304 vs 1,672 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).
Fernando Valenzuela — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
David Wells — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Wells leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Fernando Valenzuela owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Wells. PIV agrees: David Wells grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.