Steve Carlton vs Chris Sale: 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). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 as a pitcher; Chris Sale has played 2010–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
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Chris Sale (2010–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Chris Sale's 2,246.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Chris Sale's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Chris Sale's 65,834.
Steve Carlton
Chris Sale
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 1960s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Chris Sale is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 159 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 97 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 420 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 339 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 4 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 12 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 2,779 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 518 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 1,821 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 2,246.2 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 2.95 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 11.13 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton leads Chris Sale 76,502 to 65,834 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Steve Carlton played 27 seasons to Chris Sale's 15, while Chris Sale carries the higher per-season figure (4,389 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).
Steve Carlton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Chris Sale — 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 Chris Sale 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 Steve Carlton and Chris Sale careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Steve Carlton's ended in 1988, and Chris Sale debuted in 2010. The table compares 741 games of Steve Carlton with 420 of Chris Sale across 27 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Chris Sale struck out 11.13 and walked 2.08. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games). The complete-game row, 254 against 17, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. In WHIP, Chris Sale's 1.04 beats Steve Carlton's 1.25. Because Chris Sale is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Steve Carlton vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Chris Sale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Chris Sale in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.