Billy Wagner vs Kerry Wood: Career Stats Comparison
Billy Wagner (1995–2010) and Kerry Wood (1998–2012) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Billy Wagner compiled 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts; Kerry Wood put up 86 wins and 1,582 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Billy Wagner
Kerry Wood
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 | Billy Wagner | Kerry Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 47 | 86 |
| Losses | 40 | 75 |
| Games | 853 | 446 |
| Games Started | 0 | 178 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 11 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 5 |
| Saves | 422 | 63 |
| Strikeouts | 1,196 | 1,582 |
| Walks | 300 | 666 |
| Hits Allowed | 601 | 1,083 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 82 | 148 |
| Innings Pitched | 903 | 1,380 |
| ERA | 2.31 | 3.67 |
| WHIP | 1.00 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 11.92 | 10.32 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | 4.34 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner outpaces Kerry Wood 38,470 to 20,852 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,263 vs 1,390 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).
Billy Wagner — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Kerry Wood — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Wagner leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Kerry Wood owns wins, strikeouts, 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.