Corbin Burnes vs Bret Saberhagen: Career Stats Comparison
Bret Saberhagen has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Bret Saberhagen played 1984–2001 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 Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Corbin Burnes has 63 wins and 1,122 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Bret Saberhagen finished with 167 wins and 1,715 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 Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Bret Saberhagen, with 167 to Corbin Burnes's 63.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bret Saberhagen, with 1,715 to Corbin Burnes's 1,122.
- Who had the better WHIP? Corbin Burnes, with 1.08 to Bret Saberhagen's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Bret Saberhagen, with 2,562.2 to Corbin Burnes's 978.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bret Saberhagen, with 16 to Corbin Burnes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bret Saberhagen, with 53,065 career Pitcher PIV to Corbin Burnes's 23,443.
Corbin Burnes
Bret Saberhagen
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 1980s 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 | Bret Saberhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 63 | Leads: 167 |
| Losses not scored | 38 | 117 |
| Games | 213 | Leads: 399 |
| Games Started | 152 | Leads: 371 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 76 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | Leads: 2 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,122 | Leads: 1,715 |
| Walks not scored | 284 | 471 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 768 | 2,452 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 109 | 218 |
| Innings Pitched | 978.1 | Leads: 2,562.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.20 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.08 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.32 | 6.02 |
| BB/9 | 2.61 | Leads: 1.65 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bret Saberhagen outpaces Corbin Burnes 53,065 to 23,443 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,122 PIV per season to 2,930, across 17 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).
Corbin Burnes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bret Saberhagen — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bret Saberhagen 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 Bret Saberhagen. PIV agrees: Bret Saberhagen 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 Bret Saberhagen careers compare
No season is shared: Bret Saberhagen played 1984–2001, Corbin Burnes 2018–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Corbin Burnes has appeared in 213 games to Bret Saberhagen's 399. Where Corbin Burnes comes out ahead, it is in saves (2 to 1), ERA (3.20 to 3.34), and WHIP (1.08 to 1.14). The per-nine rows read 10.32 strikeouts and 2.61 walks for Corbin Burnes, 6.02 and 1.65 for Bret Saberhagen. Corbin Burnes was mainly a starter (152 starts in 213 games), and Bret Saberhagen was mainly a starter (371 starts in 399 games). The complete-game row, 0 against 76, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Because Corbin Burnes is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Corbin Burnes vs Bret Saberhagen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Corbin Burnes or Bret Saberhagen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bret Saberhagen leads Corbin Burnes in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Corbin Burnes, with 3.20 to Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 167 to Corbin Burnes's 63.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 1,715 to Corbin Burnes's 1,122.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Corbin Burnes, with 1.08 to Bret Saberhagen's 1.14.