A. J. Burnett vs Cole Hamels: Career Stats Comparison
A. J. Burnett (1999–2015) and Cole Hamels (2006–2020) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. A. J. Burnett compiled 164 wins and 2,513 strikeouts; Cole Hamels put up 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
A. J. Burnett
Cole Hamels
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | A. J. Burnett | Cole Hamels |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 164 | 163 |
| Losses | 157 | 122 |
| Games | 435 | 423 |
| Games Started | 430 | 422 |
| Complete Games | 24 | 17 |
| Shutouts | 10 | 7 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,513 | 2,560 |
| Walks | 1,100 | 767 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,519 | 2,424 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 263 | 310 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,731 | 2,698 |
| ERA | 3.99 | 3.43 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 8.28 | 8.54 |
| BB/9 | 3.62 | 2.56 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cole Hamels leads A. J. Burnett 32,591 to 24,537 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,917 vs 1,443 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
A. J. Burnett — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cole Hamels — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cole Hamels leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while A. J. Burnett owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cole Hamels. PIV agrees: Cole Hamels grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.