Jack Chesbro vs Blake Snell: Career Stats Comparison
Jack Chesbro 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). Jack Chesbro played 1899–1909 as a pitcher; Blake Snell has played 2016–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
Jack Chesbro (1899–1909) and Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 1890s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jack Chesbro finished with 198 wins and 1,265 strikeouts; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jack Chesbro, with 2.68 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games? Jack Chesbro, with 198 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Blake Snell, with 1,495 to Jack Chesbro's 1,265.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jack Chesbro, with 1.15 to Blake Snell's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Jack Chesbro, with 2,896.2 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jack Chesbro, with 35 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Blake Snell, with 27,494 career Pitcher PIV to Jack Chesbro's 22,639.
Jack Chesbro
Blake Snell
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jack Chesbro | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 198 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 132 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 392 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 332 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 260 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 5 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,265 | Leads: 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 690 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,647 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 39 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,896.2 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.68 | 3.10 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.15 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 3.93 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.14 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Blake Snell leads Jack Chesbro 27,494 to 22,639 — driven by per-season impact — 2,749 PIV per season to 1,887 — rather than by longevity, since Blake Snell played 10 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)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jack Chesbro leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Blake Snell owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jack Chesbro. Note that PIV actually grades Blake Snell 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 Blake Snell careers compare
Jack Chesbro (1899–1909) was finished before Blake Snell (2016–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Jack Chesbro has the far longer record, 392 games against 231 across 12 and 10 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Blake Snell comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts (1,495 to 1,265) and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 3.93). By rate, Jack Chesbro struck out 3.93 and walked 2.14 per nine innings; Blake Snell struck out 11.21 and walked 4.03. Jack Chesbro was mainly a starter (332 starts in 392 games), and Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Complete games (260 to 1) show how differently the two eras used starters. Because Blake Snell is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jack Chesbro vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jack Chesbro or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jack Chesbro leads Blake Snell in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jack Chesbro, with 2.68 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games?
- Jack Chesbro, with 198 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Blake Snell, with 1,495 to Jack Chesbro's 1,265.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jack Chesbro, with 1.15 to Blake Snell's 1.22.