Pete Alexander vs Johan Santana: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Johan Santana played 2000–2012 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 Johan Santana (2000–2012) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Johan Santana finished with 139 wins and 1,988 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Johan Santana's 3.20.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Johan Santana's 139.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Johan Santana's 1,988.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Johan Santana's 1.13.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Johan Santana's 2,025.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Johan Santana's 10.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Johan Santana's 48,732.
Pete Alexander
Johan Santana
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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Johan Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 139 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 78 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 360 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 284 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 10 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,988 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 567 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 1,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 220 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 2,025.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.20 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.13 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 8.83 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.52 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Johan Santana 75,743 to 48,732 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Pete Alexander played 21 seasons to Johan Santana's 12, while Johan Santana carries the higher per-season figure (4,061 to 3,607). 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)
Johan Santana — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Johan Santana owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. PIV agrees: Pete Alexander 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 Johan Santana careers compare
No season is shared: Pete Alexander played 1911–1930, Johan Santana 2000–2012. Pete Alexander has the far longer record, 696 games against 360 across 21 and 12 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Johan Santana comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (8.83 to 3.81). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Johan Santana struck out 8.83 and walked 2.52. Both had the same role: Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games); Johan Santana was mainly a starter (284 starts in 360 games). The complete-game row, 437 against 15, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Pete Alexander vs Johan Santana: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Johan Santana?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Johan Santana in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Johan Santana's 3.20.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Johan Santana's 139.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Johan Santana's 1,988.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Johan Santana's 1.13.