Fernando Valenzuela vs David Wells: Career Stats Comparison
David Wells has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Fernando Valenzuela played 1980–1997 as a pitcher; David Wells played 1987–2007 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
Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) and David Wells (1987–2007) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Fernando Valenzuela finished with 173 wins and 2,074 strikeouts; David Wells finished with 239 wins and 2,201 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Fernando Valenzuela, with 3.54 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games? David Wells, with 239 to Fernando Valenzuela's 173.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Wells, with 2,201 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Wells, with 1.27 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? David Wells, with 3,439.0 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,930.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Fernando Valenzuela, with 31 to David Wells's 12.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? David Wells, with 31,301 career Pitcher PIV to Fernando Valenzuela's 30,102.
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. 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 | Fernando Valenzuela | David Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 173 | Leads: 239 |
| Losses not scored | 153 | 157 |
| Games | 453 | Leads: 660 |
| Games Started | 424 | Leads: 489 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 113 | 54 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 31 | 12 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 13 |
| Strikeouts | 2,074 | Leads: 2,201 |
| Walks not scored | 1,151 | 719 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,718 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 226 | 407 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,930.0 | Leads: 3,439.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.54 | 4.13 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.37 | 5.76 |
| BB/9 | 3.54 | Leads: 1.88 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Wells edges Fernando Valenzuela 31,301 to 30,102 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: David Wells played 24 seasons to Fernando Valenzuela's 18, while Fernando Valenzuela carries the higher per-season figure (1,672 to 1,304). 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).
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.
Related Matchups
How the Fernando Valenzuela and David Wells careers compare
The careers of Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) and David Wells (1987–2007) overlapped from 1987 to 1997, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 453 games against 660 across 18 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Fernando Valenzuela's edges on the table are complete games (113 to 54), shutouts (31 to 12), and ERA (3.54 to 4.13). The per-nine rows read 6.37 strikeouts and 3.54 walks for Fernando Valenzuela, 5.76 and 1.88 for David Wells. Fernando Valenzuela was mainly a starter (424 starts in 453 games), and David Wells was mainly a starter (489 starts in 660 games). In WHIP, David Wells's 1.27 beats Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
Fernando Valenzuela vs David Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fernando Valenzuela or David Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Wells leads Fernando Valenzuela in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Fernando Valenzuela, with 3.54 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games?
- David Wells, with 239 to Fernando Valenzuela's 173.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Wells, with 2,201 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Wells, with 1.27 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.