Pete Alexander vs Christy Mathewson: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 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
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games? Neither — both are at 373.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Christy Mathewson's 4,788.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Christy Mathewson's 79.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career Pitcher PIV to Pete Alexander's 75,743.
Pete Alexander
Christy Mathewson
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 1910s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Christy Mathewson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 373 | 373 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 188 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 636 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 552 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 435 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 79 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 2,507 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 848 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 4,219 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 90 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 4,788.2 |
| ERA | 2.56 | Leads: 2.13 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.06 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 4.71 |
| BB/9 | 1.65 | Leads: 1.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson leads Pete Alexander 82,446 to 75,743 — driven by per-season impact — 4,580 PIV per season to 3,607 — rather than by longevity, since Christy Mathewson played 18 seasons to Pete Alexander's 21. 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).
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Christy Mathewson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Christy Mathewson leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Pete Alexander owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Christy Mathewson. PIV agrees: Christy Mathewson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Christy Mathewson careers compare
From 1911 through 1916, Pete Alexander and Christy Mathewson were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 696 games for Pete Alexander and 636 for Christy Mathewson across 21 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 4.71 and 1.59 for Christy Mathewson. Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games), and Christy Mathewson was mainly a starter (552 starts in 636 games). Christy Mathewson allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.06 WHIP to Pete Alexander's 1.12.
Pete Alexander vs Christy Mathewson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Christy Mathewson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Christy Mathewson in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Pete Alexander's 2.56.
- Who won more games?
- Neither — both are at 373.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Pete Alexander's 1.12.