Shane Bieber vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver 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). Shane Bieber has played 2018–present as a pitcher; Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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
Shane Bieber (2018–present) and Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Shane Bieber has 71 wins and 1,039 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Shane Bieber's 3.31.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Shane Bieber's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Shane Bieber's 1,039.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Shane Bieber's 1.13.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Seaver, with 4,782.2 to Shane Bieber's 939.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Shane Bieber's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Seaver, with 79,192 career Pitcher PIV to Shane Bieber's 25,160.
Shane Bieber
Tom Seaver
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 2010s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Shane Bieber is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Shane Bieber | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 71 | Leads: 311 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 205 |
| Games | 154 | Leads: 656 |
| Games Started | 152 | Leads: 647 |
| Complete Games | 5 | Leads: 231 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,039 | Leads: 3,640 |
| Walks not scored | 219 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 841 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 112 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched | 939.0 | Leads: 4,782.2 |
| ERA | 3.31 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.13 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.96 | 6.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.10 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Shane Bieber 79,192 to 25,160 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,600 PIV per season to 3,145, across 22 seasons to 8. 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).
Shane Bieber — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Shane Bieber owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Shane Bieber and Tom Seaver careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Tom Seaver's ended in 1986, and Shane Bieber debuted in 2018. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Shane Bieber has appeared in 154 games to Tom Seaver's 656. Where Shane Bieber comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (9.96 to 6.85) and walks per nine (2.10 to 2.62). The per-nine rows read 9.96 strikeouts and 2.10 walks for Shane Bieber, 6.85 and 2.62 for Tom Seaver. Shane Bieber was mainly a starter (152 starts in 154 games), and Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games). Shane Bieber's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Shane Bieber vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Shane Bieber or Tom Seaver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Shane Bieber in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Shane Bieber's 3.31.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Shane Bieber's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Shane Bieber's 1,039.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Shane Bieber's 1.13.