Adam Wainwright vs Brandon Webb: Career Stats Comparison
Adam Wainwright has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Adam Wainwright played 2005–2023 as a pitcher; Brandon Webb played 2003–2009 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
Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) and Brandon Webb (2003–2009) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Adam Wainwright finished with 200 wins and 2,202 strikeouts; Brandon Webb finished with 87 wins and 1,065 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Brandon Webb, with 3.27 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Brandon Webb's 87.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Brandon Webb's 1,065.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Adam Wainwright, with 2,668.1 to Brandon Webb's 1,319.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Brandon Webb's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Adam Wainwright, with 44,617 career Pitcher PIV to Brandon Webb's 32,131.
Adam Wainwright
Brandon Webb
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 | Adam Wainwright | Brandon Webb |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 200 | 87 |
| Losses not scored | 128 | 62 |
| Games | Leads: 478 | 199 |
| Games Started | Leads: 411 | 198 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 28 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 11 | 8 |
| Saves | Leads: 3 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,202 | 1,065 |
| Walks not scored | 736 | 435 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,577 | 1,200 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 233 | 92 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,668.1 | 1,319.2 |
| ERA | 3.53 | Leads: 3.27 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.43 | 7.26 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.48 | 2.97 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Adam Wainwright outpaces Brandon Webb 44,617 to 32,131 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Adam Wainwright played 18 seasons to Brandon Webb's 7, while Brandon Webb carries the higher per-season figure (4,590 to 2,479). 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).
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Brandon Webb — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Adam Wainwright leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Brandon Webb owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Adam Wainwright. PIV agrees: Adam Wainwright grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Adam Wainwright and Brandon Webb careers compare
From 2005 through 2009, Adam Wainwright and Brandon Webb were in the majors together. Adam Wainwright has the far longer record, 478 games against 199 across 18 and 7 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Brandon Webb's edges on the table are ERA (3.27 to 3.53) and WHIP (1.24 to 1.24). By rate, Adam Wainwright struck out 7.43 and walked 2.48 per nine innings; Brandon Webb struck out 7.26 and walked 2.97. Both had the same role: Adam Wainwright was mainly a starter (411 starts in 478 games); Brandon Webb was mainly a starter (198 starts in 199 games). In WHIP, Brandon Webb's 1.24 beats Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
Adam Wainwright vs Brandon Webb: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Adam Wainwright or Brandon Webb?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Adam Wainwright leads Brandon Webb in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Brandon Webb, with 3.27 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Brandon Webb's 87.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Brandon Webb's 1,065.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.24.