Jack Chesbro vs Addie Joss: Career Stats Comparison
Jack Chesbro 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). Jack Chesbro played 1899–1909 as a pitcher; Addie Joss played 1902–1910 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
Jack Chesbro (1899–1909) and Addie Joss (1902–1910) — breaking in during the 1890s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jack Chesbro finished with 198 wins and 1,265 strikeouts; Addie Joss finished with 160 wins and 920 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Addie Joss, with 1.89 to Jack Chesbro's 2.68.
- Who won more games? Jack Chesbro, with 198 to Addie Joss's 160.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jack Chesbro, with 1,265 to Addie Joss's 920.
- Who had the better WHIP? Addie Joss, with 0.97 to Jack Chesbro's 1.15.
- Who pitched more innings? Jack Chesbro, with 2,896.2 to Addie Joss's 2,327.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Addie Joss, with 45 to Jack Chesbro's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Addie Joss, with 29,177 career Pitcher PIV to Jack Chesbro's 22,639.
Jack Chesbro
Addie Joss
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 1890s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jack Chesbro | Addie Joss |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 198 | 160 |
| Losses not scored | 132 | 97 |
| Games | Leads: 392 | 286 |
| Games Started | Leads: 332 | 260 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 260 | 234 |
| Shutouts | 35 | Leads: 45 |
| Saves | 5 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,265 | 920 |
| Walks not scored | 690 | 364 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,647 | 1,888 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 39 | 19 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,896.2 | 2,327.0 |
| ERA | 2.68 | Leads: 1.89 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | Leads: 0.97 |
| K/9 | Leads: 3.93 | 3.56 |
| BB/9 | 2.14 | Leads: 1.41 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Addie Joss leads Jack Chesbro 29,177 to 22,639 — driven by per-season impact — 3,242 PIV per season to 1,887 — rather than by longevity, since Addie Joss played 9 seasons to Jack Chesbro's 12. 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).
Jack Chesbro — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Addie Joss — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jack Chesbro leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Addie Joss owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jack Chesbro. Note that PIV actually grades Addie Joss ahead, which means Jack Chesbro's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jack Chesbro and Addie Joss careers compare
From 1902 through 1909, Jack Chesbro and Addie Joss were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 392 games for Jack Chesbro and 286 for Addie Joss across 12 and 9 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Addie Joss comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (45 to 35), ERA (1.89 to 2.68), and WHIP (0.97 to 1.15). By rate, Jack Chesbro struck out 3.93 and walked 2.14 per nine innings; Addie Joss struck out 3.56 and walked 1.41. Jack Chesbro was mainly a starter (332 starts in 392 games), and Addie Joss was mainly a starter (260 starts in 286 games).
Jack Chesbro vs Addie Joss: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jack Chesbro or Addie Joss?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jack Chesbro leads Addie Joss in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Addie Joss, with 1.89 to Jack Chesbro's 2.68.
- Who won more games?
- Jack Chesbro, with 198 to Addie Joss's 160.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jack Chesbro, with 1,265 to Addie Joss's 920.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Addie Joss, with 0.97 to Jack Chesbro's 1.15.