Mark Buehrle vs Gerrit Cole: Career Stats Comparison
Mark Buehrle 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). Mark Buehrle played 2000–2015 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
Mark Buehrle (2000–2015) and Gerrit Cole (2013–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mark Buehrle finished with 214 wins and 1,870 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 Mark Buehrle's 3.81.
- Who won more games? Mark Buehrle, with 214 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Mark Buehrle's 1,870.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Mark Buehrle's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Mark Buehrle, with 3,283.1 to Gerrit Cole's 2,081.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mark Buehrle, with 10 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gerrit Cole, with 50,909 career Pitcher PIV to Mark Buehrle's 9,858.
Mark Buehrle
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 2000s 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 | Mark Buehrle | Gerrit Cole |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 214 | 163 |
| Losses not scored | 160 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 518 | 339 |
| Games Started | Leads: 493 | 339 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 33 | 8 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 10 | 5 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,870 | Leads: 2,382 |
| Walks not scored | 734 | 525 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,472 | 1,742 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 361 | 239 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,283.1 | 2,081.0 |
| ERA | 3.81 | Leads: 3.20 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.09 |
| K/9 | 5.13 | Leads: 10.30 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.01 | 2.27 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gerrit Cole outpaces Mark Buehrle 50,909 to 9,858 — driven by per-season impact — 4,242 PIV per season to 616 — rather than by longevity, since Gerrit Cole played 12 seasons to Mark Buehrle's 16. 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).
Mark Buehrle — 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 strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Mark Buehrle owns wins and innings pitched. 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 Mark Buehrle and Gerrit Cole careers compare
From 2013 through 2015, Mark Buehrle and Gerrit Cole were in the majors together. The table compares 518 games of Mark Buehrle with 339 of Gerrit Cole across 16 and 12 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Gerrit Cole comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts (2,382 to 1,870), ERA (3.20 to 3.81), and WHIP (1.09 to 1.28). By rate, Mark Buehrle struck out 5.13 and walked 2.01 per nine innings; Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27. Mark Buehrle was mainly a starter (493 starts in 518 games), and 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.
Mark Buehrle vs Gerrit Cole: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark Buehrle or Gerrit Cole?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mark Buehrle leads Gerrit Cole in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Mark Buehrle's 3.81.
- Who won more games?
- Mark Buehrle, with 214 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Mark Buehrle's 1,870.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Mark Buehrle's 1.28.