Corbin Burnes vs Steve Carlton: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton 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). Corbin Burnes has played 2018–present as a pitcher; Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 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
Corbin Burnes (2018–present) and Steve Carlton (1965–1988) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Corbin Burnes has 63 wins and 1,122 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Corbin Burnes, with 3.20 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Corbin Burnes's 63.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Corbin Burnes's 1,122.
- Who had the better WHIP? Corbin Burnes, with 1.08 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Corbin Burnes's 978.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Corbin Burnes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Corbin Burnes's 23,443.
Corbin Burnes
Steve Carlton
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.
Corbin Burnes is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Corbin Burnes | Steve Carlton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 63 | Leads: 329 |
| Losses not scored | 38 | 244 |
| Games | 213 | Leads: 741 |
| Games Started | 152 | Leads: 709 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 254 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 55 |
| Saves | 2 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 1,122 | Leads: 4,136 |
| Walks not scored | 284 | 1,833 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 768 | 4,672 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 109 | 414 |
| Innings Pitched | 978.1 | Leads: 5,217.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.20 | 3.22 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.08 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.32 | 7.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.61 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Corbin Burnes 76,502 to 23,443 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Steve Carlton played 27 seasons to Corbin Burnes's 8, while Corbin Burnes carries the higher per-season figure (2,930 to 2,833). 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).
Corbin Burnes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Steve Carlton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Corbin Burnes owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. PIV agrees: Steve Carlton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Corbin Burnes and Steve Carlton careers compare
No season is shared: Steve Carlton played 1965–1988, Corbin Burnes 2018–present. Steve Carlton has the far longer record, 741 games against 213 across 8 and 27 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Corbin Burnes are ERA (3.20 to 3.22), WHIP (1.08 to 1.25), and strikeouts per nine (10.32 to 7.13). The per-nine rows read 10.32 strikeouts and 2.61 walks for Corbin Burnes, 7.13 and 3.16 for Steve Carlton. Corbin Burnes was mainly a starter (152 starts in 213 games), and Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games). Complete games (0 to 254) show how differently the two eras used starters. Corbin Burnes's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Corbin Burnes vs Steve Carlton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Corbin Burnes or Steve Carlton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Corbin Burnes in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Corbin Burnes, with 3.20 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Corbin Burnes's 63.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Corbin Burnes's 1,122.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Corbin Burnes, with 1.08 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.