Matt Cain vs Jacob deGrom: Career Stats Comparison
Jacob deGrom has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Matt Cain played 2005–2017 as a pitcher; Jacob deGrom has played 2014–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
Matt Cain (2005–2017) and Jacob deGrom (2014–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Matt Cain finished with 104 wins and 1,694 strikeouts; Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Matt Cain's 3.68.
- Who won more games? Jacob deGrom, with 107 to Matt Cain's 104.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jacob deGrom, with 2,052 to Matt Cain's 1,694.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Matt Cain's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Matt Cain, with 2,085.2 to Jacob deGrom's 1,702.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Matt Cain, with 6 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jacob deGrom, with 58,656 career Pitcher PIV to Matt Cain's 14,596.
Matt Cain
Jacob deGrom
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.
Jacob deGrom is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Matt Cain | Jacob deGrom |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 104 | Leads: 107 |
| Losses not scored | 118 | 76 |
| Games | Leads: 342 | 279 |
| Games Started | Leads: 331 | 279 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 15 | 4 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 6 | 2 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,694 | Leads: 2,052 |
| Walks not scored | 712 | 391 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,849 | 1,312 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 211 | 166 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,085.2 | 1,702.1 |
| ERA | 3.68 | Leads: 2.73 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 7.31 | Leads: 10.85 |
| BB/9 | 3.07 | Leads: 2.07 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jacob deGrom outpaces Matt Cain 58,656 to 14,596 — driven by per-season impact — 4,888 PIV per season to 1,123 — rather than by longevity, since Jacob deGrom played 12 seasons to Matt Cain's 13. 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).
Matt Cain — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jacob deGrom — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jacob deGrom leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Matt Cain owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jacob deGrom. PIV agrees: Jacob deGrom grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Matt Cain and Jacob deGrom careers compare
The careers of Matt Cain (2005–2017) and Jacob deGrom (2014–present) overlapped from 2014 to 2017, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 342 games against 279 across 13 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Matt Cain struck out 7.31 and walked 3.07 per nine innings; Jacob deGrom struck out 10.85 and walked 2.07. Both had the same role: Matt Cain was mainly a starter (331 starts in 342 games); Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games). In WHIP, Jacob deGrom's 1.00 beats Matt Cain's 1.23. Because Jacob deGrom is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Matt Cain vs Jacob deGrom: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Matt Cain or Jacob deGrom?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jacob deGrom leads Matt Cain in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Matt Cain's 3.68.
- Who won more games?
- Jacob deGrom, with 107 to Matt Cain's 104.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2,052 to Matt Cain's 1,694.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Matt Cain's 1.23.