Jake Arrieta vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale 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). Jake Arrieta played 2010–2021 as a pitcher; Chris Sale has played 2010–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
Jake Arrieta (2010–2021) and Chris Sale (2010–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jake Arrieta finished with 115 wins and 1,433 strikeouts; Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Jake Arrieta's 3.98.
- Who won more games? Chris Sale, with 159 to Jake Arrieta's 115.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Jake Arrieta's 1,433.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Jake Arrieta's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Chris Sale, with 2,246.2 to Jake Arrieta's 1,612.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jake Arrieta, with 5 to Chris Sale's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Sale, with 65,834 career Pitcher PIV to Jake Arrieta's 5,475.
Jake Arrieta
Chris Sale
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.
Chris Sale is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jake Arrieta | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 115 | Leads: 159 |
| Losses not scored | 93 | 97 |
| Games | 285 | Leads: 420 |
| Games Started | 279 | Leads: 339 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 12 |
| Strikeouts | 1,433 | Leads: 2,779 |
| Walks not scored | 571 | 518 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,450 | 1,821 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 181 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,612.1 | Leads: 2,246.2 |
| ERA | 3.98 | Leads: 2.95 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 8.00 | Leads: 11.13 |
| BB/9 | 3.19 | Leads: 2.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces Jake Arrieta 65,834 to 5,475 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,389 PIV per season to 391, across 15 seasons to 14. 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).
Jake Arrieta — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Chris Sale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chris Sale leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jake Arrieta owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chris Sale. PIV agrees: Chris Sale grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jake Arrieta and Chris Sale careers compare
Jake Arrieta and Chris Sale were active at the same time between 2010 and 2021. With 285 games against 420 across 14 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Jake Arrieta comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (5 to 4). By rate, Jake Arrieta struck out 8.00 and walked 3.19 per nine innings; Chris Sale struck out 11.13 and walked 2.08. Jake Arrieta was mainly a starter (279 starts in 285 games), and Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games). In WHIP, Chris Sale's 1.04 beats Jake Arrieta's 1.25. Because Chris Sale is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jake Arrieta vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jake Arrieta or Chris Sale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Sale leads Jake Arrieta in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Jake Arrieta's 3.98.
- Who won more games?
- Chris Sale, with 159 to Jake Arrieta's 115.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Jake Arrieta's 1,433.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Jake Arrieta's 1.25.