Billy Wagner vs John Wetteland: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Wagner has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Billy Wagner played 1995–2010 as a pitcher; John Wetteland played 1989–2000 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
Billy Wagner (1995–2010) and John Wetteland (1989–2000) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Billy Wagner finished with 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts; John Wetteland finished with 48 wins and 804 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to John Wetteland's 2.93.
- Who won more games? John Wetteland, with 48 to Billy Wagner's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to John Wetteland's 804.
- Who had the better WHIP? Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to John Wetteland's 1.13.
- Who pitched more innings? Billy Wagner, with 903.0 to John Wetteland's 765.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Billy Wagner, with 38,470 career Pitcher PIV to John Wetteland's 20,366.
Billy Wagner
John Wetteland
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Billy Wagner | John Wetteland |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 47 | Leads: 48 |
| Losses not scored | 40 | 45 |
| Games | Leads: 853 | 618 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 17 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 422 | 330 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,196 | 804 |
| Walks not scored | 300 | 252 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 601 | 616 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 82 | 73 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 903.0 | 765.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.31 | 2.93 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.92 | 9.46 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | Leads: 2.96 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner outpaces John Wetteland 38,470 to 20,366 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,263 PIV per season to 1,697, across 17 seasons to 12. 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).
Billy Wagner
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
John Wetteland
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Wagner leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while John Wetteland owns wins. 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.
Related Matchups
How the Billy Wagner and John Wetteland careers compare
Billy Wagner and John Wetteland were active at the same time between 1995 and 2000. The two careers are close in length, 853 games for Billy Wagner and 618 for John Wetteland across 17 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. John Wetteland's edges on the table are wins (48 to 47), starts (17 to 0), and walks per nine (2.96 to 2.99). By rate, Billy Wagner struck out 11.92 and walked 2.99 per nine innings; John Wetteland struck out 9.46 and walked 2.96.
Billy Wagner vs John Wetteland: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Billy Wagner or John Wetteland?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Wagner leads John Wetteland in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to John Wetteland's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- John Wetteland, with 48 to Billy Wagner's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to John Wetteland's 804.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to John Wetteland's 1.13.