Bert Blyleven vs Gerrit Cole: Career Stats Comparison
Bert Blyleven has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bert Blyleven played 1970–1992 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
Bert Blyleven (1970–1992) and Gerrit Cole (2013–present) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bert Blyleven finished with 287 wins and 3,701 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 Bert Blyleven's 3.31.
- Who won more games? Bert Blyleven, with 287 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Gerrit Cole's 2,382.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Bert Blyleven's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Bert Blyleven, with 4,970.0 to Gerrit Cole's 2,081.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bert Blyleven, with 60 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bert Blyleven, with 74,910 career Pitcher PIV to Gerrit Cole's 50,909.
Bert Blyleven
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, and the 1970s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Gerrit Cole is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Bert Blyleven | Gerrit Cole |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 287 | 163 |
| Losses not scored | 250 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 692 | 339 |
| Games Started | Leads: 685 | 339 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 242 | 8 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 60 | 5 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,701 | 2,382 |
| Walks not scored | 1,322 | 525 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,632 | 1,742 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 430 | 239 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,970.0 | 2,081.0 |
| ERA | 3.31 | Leads: 3.20 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 6.70 | Leads: 10.30 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | Leads: 2.27 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bert Blyleven outpaces Gerrit Cole 74,910 to 50,909 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Bert Blyleven played 24 seasons to Gerrit Cole's 12, while Gerrit Cole carries the higher per-season figure (4,242 to 3,121). 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).
Bert Blyleven — 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, Bert Blyleven leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Gerrit Cole owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bert Blyleven. PIV agrees: Bert Blyleven grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bert Blyleven and Gerrit Cole careers compare
No season is shared: Bert Blyleven played 1970–1992, Gerrit Cole 2013–present. Bert Blyleven has the far longer record, 692 games against 339 across 24 and 12 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Gerrit Cole are ERA (3.20 to 3.31), WHIP (1.09 to 1.20), and strikeouts per nine (10.30 to 6.70). By rate, Bert Blyleven struck out 6.70 and walked 2.39 per nine innings; Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27. Both had the same role: Bert Blyleven was mainly a starter (685 starts in 692 games); Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games). Because Gerrit Cole is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Bert Blyleven vs Gerrit Cole: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bert Blyleven or Gerrit Cole?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bert Blyleven leads Gerrit Cole in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Bert Blyleven's 3.31.
- Who won more games?
- Bert Blyleven, with 287 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Gerrit Cole's 2,382.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Bert Blyleven's 1.20.