Trevor Bauer vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; 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
Trevor Bauer (2012–2021) and Chris Sale (2010–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Trevor Bauer finished with 83 wins and 1,416 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 Trevor Bauer's 3.79.
- Who won more games? Chris Sale, with 159 to Trevor Bauer's 83.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Trevor Bauer's 1,416.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Trevor Bauer's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Chris Sale, with 2,246.2 to Trevor Bauer's 1,297.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Chris Sale, with 4 to Trevor Bauer's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Sale, with 65,834 career Pitcher PIV to Trevor Bauer's 10,908.
Trevor Bauer
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 | Trevor Bauer | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 83 | Leads: 159 |
| Losses not scored | 69 | 97 |
| Games | 222 | Leads: 420 |
| Games Started | 212 | Leads: 339 |
| Complete Games | 6 | Leads: 17 |
| Shutouts | 3 | Leads: 4 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 12 |
| Strikeouts | 1,416 | Leads: 2,779 |
| Walks not scored | 491 | 518 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,122 | 1,821 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 160 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,297.2 | Leads: 2,246.2 |
| ERA | 3.79 | Leads: 2.95 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 9.82 | Leads: 11.13 |
| BB/9 | 3.41 | Leads: 2.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces Trevor Bauer 65,834 to 10,908 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,389 PIV per season to 992, across 15 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)
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 Trevor Bauer 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 Trevor Bauer and Chris Sale careers compare
From 2012 through 2021, Trevor Bauer and Chris Sale were in the majors together. Chris Sale has the far longer record, 420 games against 222 across 11 and 15 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Chris Sale leads every scored row of the table. By rate, Trevor Bauer struck out 9.82 and walked 3.41 per nine innings; Chris Sale struck out 11.13 and walked 2.08. Both had the same role: Trevor Bauer was mainly a starter (212 starts in 222 games); Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games). Chris Sale allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to Trevor Bauer's 1.24. Chris Sale's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Trevor Bauer vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Trevor Bauer or Chris Sale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Sale leads Trevor Bauer in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Trevor Bauer's 3.79.
- Who won more games?
- Chris Sale, with 159 to Trevor Bauer's 83.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Trevor Bauer's 1,416.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Trevor Bauer's 1.24.