Chris Carpenter vs Jason Schmidt: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Carpenter has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Jason Schmidt played 1995–2009 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 Jason Schmidt (1995–2009) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Chris Carpenter finished with 144 wins and 1,697 strikeouts; Jason Schmidt finished with 130 wins and 1,758 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Carpenter, with 3.76 to Jason Schmidt's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Chris Carpenter, with 144 to Jason Schmidt's 130.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jason Schmidt, with 1,758 to Chris Carpenter's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Carpenter, with 1.28 to Jason Schmidt's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Chris Carpenter, with 2,219.1 to Jason Schmidt's 1,996.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Chris Carpenter, with 15 to Jason Schmidt's 9.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jason Schmidt, with 34,873 career Pitcher PIV to Chris Carpenter's 32,497.
Chris Carpenter
Jason Schmidt
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Chris Carpenter | Jason Schmidt |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 144 | 130 |
| Losses not scored | 94 | 96 |
| Games | Leads: 350 | 323 |
| Games Started | Leads: 332 | 314 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 33 | 20 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 15 | 9 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,697 | Leads: 1,758 |
| Walks not scored | 627 | 792 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,205 | 1,846 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 220 | 184 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,219.1 | 1,996.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.76 | 3.96 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.28 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 6.88 | Leads: 7.93 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.54 | 3.57 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jason Schmidt edges Chris Carpenter 34,873 to 32,497 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,180 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)
Jason Schmidt — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chris Carpenter leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Jason Schmidt owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chris Carpenter. Note that PIV actually grades Jason Schmidt ahead, which means Chris Carpenter's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Chris Carpenter and Jason Schmidt careers compare
Chris Carpenter and Jason Schmidt were active at the same time between 1997 and 2009. With 350 games against 323 across 15 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jason Schmidt's edges on the table are strikeouts (1,758 to 1,697) and strikeouts per nine (7.93 to 6.88). The per-nine rows read 6.88 strikeouts and 2.54 walks for Chris Carpenter, 7.93 and 3.57 for Jason Schmidt. Both had the same role: Chris Carpenter was mainly a starter (332 starts in 350 games); Jason Schmidt was mainly a starter (314 starts in 323 games). Chris Carpenter allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.28 WHIP to Jason Schmidt's 1.32.
Chris Carpenter vs Jason Schmidt: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chris Carpenter or Jason Schmidt?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Carpenter leads Jason Schmidt in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Carpenter, with 3.76 to Jason Schmidt's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Chris Carpenter, with 144 to Jason Schmidt's 130.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jason Schmidt, with 1,758 to Chris Carpenter's 1,697.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Carpenter, with 1.28 to Jason Schmidt's 1.32.