Chris Carpenter vs David Price: Career Stats Comparison
David Price has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; David Price played 2008–2022 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 David Price (2008–2022) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Chris Carpenter finished with 144 wins and 1,697 strikeouts; David Price finished with 157 wins and 2,076 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? David Price, with 3.32 to Chris Carpenter's 3.76.
- Who won more games? David Price, with 157 to Chris Carpenter's 144.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Price, with 2,076 to Chris Carpenter's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Price, with 1.16 to Chris Carpenter's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Chris Carpenter, with 2,219.1 to David Price's 2,143.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Chris Carpenter, with 15 to David Price's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? David Price, with 36,995 career Pitcher PIV to Chris Carpenter's 32,497.
Chris Carpenter
David Price
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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Chris Carpenter | David Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 144 | Leads: 157 |
| Losses not scored | 94 | 82 |
| Games | 350 | Leads: 400 |
| Games Started | Leads: 332 | 322 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 33 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 15 | 3 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | 1,697 | Leads: 2,076 |
| Walks not scored | 627 | 562 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,205 | 1,930 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 220 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,219.1 | 2,143.2 |
| ERA | 3.76 | Leads: 3.32 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.16 |
| K/9 | 6.88 | Leads: 8.72 |
| BB/9 | 2.54 | Leads: 2.36 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Price leads Chris Carpenter 36,995 to 32,497 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,312 PIV per season to 2,166, across 16 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)
David Price — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Price leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Chris Carpenter owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Price. PIV agrees: David Price 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 David Price careers compare
The careers of Chris Carpenter (1997–2012) and David Price (2008–2022) overlapped from 2008 to 2012, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 350 games against 400 across 15 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Chris Carpenter's edges on the table are starts (332 to 322), complete games (33 to 17), and shutouts (15 to 3). By rate, Chris Carpenter struck out 6.88 and walked 2.54 per nine innings; David Price struck out 8.72 and walked 2.36. Both had the same role: Chris Carpenter was mainly a starter (332 starts in 350 games); David Price was mainly a starter (322 starts in 400 games).
Chris Carpenter vs David Price: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chris Carpenter or David Price?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Price leads Chris Carpenter in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Price, with 3.32 to Chris Carpenter's 3.76.
- Who won more games?
- David Price, with 157 to Chris Carpenter's 144.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Price, with 2,076 to Chris Carpenter's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Price, with 1.16 to Chris Carpenter's 1.28.