Trevor Bauer vs Gerrit Cole: Career Stats Comparison
Gerrit Cole 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). Trevor Bauer played 2012–2021 as a pitcher; Gerrit Cole has played 2013–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
Trevor Bauer (2012–2021) and Gerrit Cole (2013–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Trevor Bauer finished with 83 wins and 1,416 strikeouts; Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Trevor Bauer's 3.79.
- Who won more games? Gerrit Cole, with 163 to Trevor Bauer's 83.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Trevor Bauer's 1,416.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Trevor Bauer's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Gerrit Cole, with 2,081.0 to Trevor Bauer's 1,297.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gerrit Cole, with 5 to Trevor Bauer's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gerrit Cole, with 50,909 career Pitcher PIV to Trevor Bauer's 10,908.
Trevor Bauer
Gerrit Cole
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.
Gerrit Cole is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Trevor Bauer | Gerrit Cole |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 83 | Leads: 163 |
| Losses not scored | 69 | 89 |
| Games | 222 | Leads: 339 |
| Games Started | 212 | Leads: 339 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 8 |
| Shutouts | 3 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,416 | Leads: 2,382 |
| Walks not scored | 491 | 525 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,122 | 1,742 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 160 | 239 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,297.2 | Leads: 2,081.0 |
| ERA | 3.79 | Leads: 3.20 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 9.82 | Leads: 10.30 |
| BB/9 | 3.41 | Leads: 2.27 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gerrit Cole outpaces Trevor Bauer 50,909 to 10,908 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,242 PIV per season to 992, across 12 seasons to 11. 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).
Trevor Bauer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Gerrit Cole — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gerrit Cole leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Trevor Bauer owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gerrit Cole. PIV agrees: Gerrit Cole grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole careers compare
Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole were active at the same time between 2013 and 2021. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Trevor Bauer appeared in 222 games to Gerrit Cole's 339. Trevor Bauer's edges on the table are saves (1 to 0). By rate, Trevor Bauer struck out 9.82 and walked 3.41 per nine innings; Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27. Both had the same role: Trevor Bauer was mainly a starter (212 starts in 222 games); Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games). In WHIP, Gerrit Cole's 1.09 beats Trevor Bauer's 1.24. Gerrit Cole's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Trevor Bauer vs Gerrit Cole: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Trevor Bauer or Gerrit Cole?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gerrit Cole leads Trevor Bauer in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Trevor Bauer's 3.79.
- Who won more games?
- Gerrit Cole, with 163 to Trevor Bauer's 83.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Trevor Bauer's 1,416.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Trevor Bauer's 1.24.