Mordecai Brown vs Paul Skenes: Career Stats Comparison
Mordecai Brown 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). Mordecai Brown played 1903–1916 as a pitcher; Paul Skenes has played 2024–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
Mordecai Brown (1903–1916) and Paul Skenes (2024–present) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mordecai Brown finished with 239 wins and 1,375 strikeouts; Paul Skenes has 31 wins and 586 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Paul Skenes's 2.62.
- Who won more games? Mordecai Brown, with 239 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mordecai Brown, with 1,375 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Mordecai Brown's 1.07.
- Who pitched more innings? Mordecai Brown, with 3,172.1 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mordecai Brown, with 55 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mordecai Brown, with 31,501 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Skenes's 14,331.
Mordecai Brown
Paul Skenes
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 1900s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Skenes is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Mordecai Brown | Paul Skenes |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 239 | 31 |
| Losses not scored | 130 | 24 |
| Games | Leads: 481 | 87 |
| Games Started | Leads: 332 | 87 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 271 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 49 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,375 | 586 |
| Walks not scored | 673 | 123 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,708 | 376 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 43 | 41 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,172.1 | 495.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.06 | 2.62 |
| WHIP | 1.07 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 3.90 | Leads: 10.65 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.91 | 2.24 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mordecai Brown outpaces Paul Skenes 31,501 to 14,331 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Mordecai Brown played 15 seasons to Paul Skenes's 2, while Paul Skenes carries the higher per-season figure (7,166 to 2,100). 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).
Mordecai Brown — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Paul Skenes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mordecai Brown leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Paul Skenes owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mordecai Brown. PIV agrees: Mordecai Brown grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mordecai Brown and Paul Skenes careers compare
No season is shared: Mordecai Brown played 1903–1916, Paul Skenes 2024–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Mordecai Brown appeared in 481 games to Paul Skenes's 87. The green cells for Paul Skenes are WHIP (1.01 to 1.07) and strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 3.90). The per-nine rows read 3.90 strikeouts and 1.91 walks for Mordecai Brown, 10.65 and 2.24 for Paul Skenes. Their roles differ: Mordecai Brown split time between starting and relief (332 starts in 481 games); Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games). The complete-game row, 271 against 1, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Paul Skenes's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Mordecai Brown vs Paul Skenes: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mordecai Brown or Paul Skenes?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mordecai Brown leads Paul Skenes in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mordecai Brown, with 2.06 to Paul Skenes's 2.62.
- Who won more games?
- Mordecai Brown, with 239 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mordecai Brown, with 1,375 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Mordecai Brown's 1.07.