Matt Cain vs Curt Schilling: Career Stats Comparison
Curt Schilling has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Curt Schilling played 1988–2007 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 Curt Schilling (1988–2007) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Matt Cain finished with 104 wins and 1,694 strikeouts; Curt Schilling finished with 216 wins and 3,116 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Curt Schilling, with 3.46 to Matt Cain's 3.68.
- Who won more games? Curt Schilling, with 216 to Matt Cain's 104.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Matt Cain's 1,694.
- Who had the better WHIP? Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to Matt Cain's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Curt Schilling, with 3,261.0 to Matt Cain's 2,085.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Curt Schilling, with 20 to Matt Cain's 6.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Matt Cain's 14,596.
Matt Cain
Curt Schilling
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Matt Cain | Curt Schilling |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 104 | Leads: 216 |
| Losses not scored | 118 | 146 |
| Games | 342 | Leads: 569 |
| Games Started | 331 | Leads: 436 |
| Complete Games | 15 | Leads: 83 |
| Shutouts | 6 | Leads: 20 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 22 |
| Strikeouts | 1,694 | Leads: 3,116 |
| Walks not scored | 712 | 711 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,849 | 2,998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 211 | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,085.2 | Leads: 3,261.0 |
| ERA | 3.68 | Leads: 3.46 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 7.31 | Leads: 8.60 |
| BB/9 | 3.07 | Leads: 1.96 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling outpaces Matt Cain 98,246 to 14,596 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,678 PIV per season to 1,123, across 21 seasons to 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)
Curt Schilling — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Curt Schilling leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Matt Cain owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Curt Schilling. PIV agrees: Curt Schilling 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 Curt Schilling careers compare
Matt Cain and Curt Schilling were active at the same time between 2005 and 2007. The table compares 342 games of Matt Cain with 569 of Curt Schilling across 13 and 21 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Every scored category on the table goes to Curt Schilling. By rate, Matt Cain struck out 7.31 and walked 3.07 per nine innings; Curt Schilling struck out 8.60 and walked 1.96. Matt Cain was mainly a starter (331 starts in 342 games), and Curt Schilling was mainly a starter (436 starts in 569 games). The complete-game row, 15 against 83, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Matt Cain vs Curt Schilling: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Matt Cain or Curt Schilling?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Curt Schilling leads Matt Cain in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Curt Schilling, with 3.46 to Matt Cain's 3.68.
- Who won more games?
- Curt Schilling, with 216 to Matt Cain's 104.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Matt Cain's 1,694.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to Matt Cain's 1.23.