Billy Wagner vs Scott Williamson: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Wagner has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Scott Williamson played 1999–2007 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
Billy Wagner (1995–2010) and Scott Williamson (1999–2007) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Billy Wagner finished with 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts; Scott Williamson finished with 28 wins and 510 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 Scott Williamson's 3.36.
- Who won more games? Billy Wagner, with 47 to Scott Williamson's 28.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Scott Williamson's 510.
- Who had the better WHIP? Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Scott Williamson's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? Billy Wagner, with 903.0 to Scott Williamson's 439.1.
- 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 Scott Williamson's 11,282.
Billy Wagner
Scott Williamson
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 | Billy Wagner | Scott Williamson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 47 | 28 |
| Losses not scored | 40 | 28 |
| Games | Leads: 853 | 344 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 10 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 422 | 55 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,196 | 510 |
| Walks not scored | 300 | 244 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 601 | 326 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 82 | 35 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 903.0 | 439.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.31 | 3.36 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.30 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.92 | 10.45 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.99 | 5.00 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner outpaces Scott Williamson 38,470 to 11,282 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,263 PIV per season to 1,026, across 17 seasons to 11. 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.
Scott Williamson
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 wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Scott Williamson owns no headline categories. 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 Scott Williamson careers compare
From 1999 through 2007, Billy Wagner and Scott Williamson were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Billy Wagner appeared in 853 games to Scott Williamson's 344. Scott Williamson's edges on the table are starts (10 to 0). The per-nine rows read 11.92 strikeouts and 2.99 walks for Billy Wagner, 10.45 and 5.00 for Scott Williamson. Billy Wagner worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 853 games, 422 saves), and Scott Williamson worked mostly in relief (10 starts in 344 games, 55 saves). Billy Wagner allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.00 WHIP to Scott Williamson's 1.30.
Billy Wagner vs Scott Williamson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Billy Wagner or Scott Williamson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Billy Wagner leads Scott Williamson in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Scott Williamson's 3.36.
- Who won more games?
- Billy Wagner, with 47 to Scott Williamson's 28.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Billy Wagner, with 1,196 to Scott Williamson's 510.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Scott Williamson's 1.30.