Pete Alexander vs Justin Verlander: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander 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). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Justin Verlander has played 2005–present 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 Justin Verlander (2005–present) — 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; Justin Verlander has 266 wins and 3,560 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. 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 Justin Verlander's 3.33.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Justin Verlander's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Justin Verlander, with 3,560 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Justin Verlander's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Justin Verlander's 3,576.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Justin Verlander's 9.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Justin Verlander's 68,171.
Pete Alexander
Justin Verlander
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.
Justin Verlander is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Justin Verlander |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 266 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 159 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 557 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 557 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 26 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 9 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 3,560 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 3,057 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 374 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 3,576.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.33 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 8.96 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.53 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander leads Justin Verlander 75,743 to 68,171 — driven by per-season impact — 3,607 PIV per season to 3,099 — rather than by longevity, since Pete Alexander played 21 seasons to Justin Verlander's 22. 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)
Justin Verlander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Justin Verlander owns strikeouts and 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 Justin Verlander careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Pete Alexander's ended in 1930, and Justin Verlander debuted in 2005. With 696 games against 557 across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Justin Verlander comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts (3,560 to 2,198) and strikeouts per nine (8.96 to 3.81). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Justin Verlander struck out 8.96 and walked 2.53. Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games), and Justin Verlander was mainly a starter (557 starts in 557 games). The complete-game row, 437 against 26, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Justin Verlander's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Pete Alexander vs Justin Verlander: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Justin Verlander?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Justin Verlander in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Justin Verlander's 3.33.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Justin Verlander's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Justin Verlander, with 3,560 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Justin Verlander's 1.14.