Chris Carpenter vs Roger Clemens: Career Stats Comparison
Roger Clemens has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Chris Carpenter played 1997–2012 as a pitcher; Roger Clemens played 1984–2007 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
Chris Carpenter (1997–2012) and Roger Clemens (1984–2007) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Chris Carpenter finished with 144 wins and 1,697 strikeouts; Roger Clemens finished with 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Chris Carpenter's 3.76.
- Who won more games? Roger Clemens, with 354 to Chris Carpenter's 144.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Chris Carpenter's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Chris Carpenter's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Roger Clemens, with 4,916.2 to Chris Carpenter's 2,219.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roger Clemens, with 46 to Chris Carpenter's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roger Clemens, with 146,187 career Pitcher PIV to Chris Carpenter's 32,497.
Chris Carpenter
Roger Clemens
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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Chris Carpenter | Roger Clemens |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 144 | Leads: 354 |
| Losses not scored | 94 | 184 |
| Games | 350 | Leads: 709 |
| Games Started | 332 | Leads: 707 |
| Complete Games | 33 | Leads: 118 |
| Shutouts | 15 | Leads: 46 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,697 | Leads: 4,672 |
| Walks not scored | 627 | 1,580 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,205 | 4,185 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 220 | 363 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,219.1 | Leads: 4,916.2 |
| ERA | 3.76 | Leads: 3.12 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | 6.88 | Leads: 8.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.54 | 2.89 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens outpaces Chris Carpenter 146,187 to 32,497 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 6,091 PIV per season to 2,166, across 24 seasons to 15. 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).
Chris Carpenter — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Roger Clemens — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roger Clemens leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Chris Carpenter owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roger Clemens. PIV agrees: Roger Clemens grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Chris Carpenter and Roger Clemens careers compare
Chris Carpenter and Roger Clemens were active at the same time between 1997 and 2007. The table compares 350 games of Chris Carpenter with 709 of Roger Clemens across 15 and 24 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Chris Carpenter comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (2.54 to 2.89). The per-nine rows read 6.88 strikeouts and 2.54 walks for Chris Carpenter, 8.55 and 2.89 for Roger Clemens. Chris Carpenter was mainly a starter (332 starts in 350 games), and Roger Clemens was mainly a starter (707 starts in 709 games). The complete-game row, 33 against 118, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Chris Carpenter vs Roger Clemens: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chris Carpenter or Roger Clemens?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roger Clemens leads Chris Carpenter in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Chris Carpenter's 3.76.
- Who won more games?
- Roger Clemens, with 354 to Chris Carpenter's 144.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Chris Carpenter's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Chris Carpenter's 1.28.