John Clarkson vs Paul Skenes: Career Stats Comparison
John Clarkson 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). John Clarkson played 1882–1894 as a pitcher; Paul Skenes has played 2024–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
John Clarkson (1882–1894) and Paul Skenes (2024–present) — breaking in during the 1880s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. John Clarkson finished with 328 wins and 1,978 strikeouts; Paul Skenes has 31 wins and 586 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to John Clarkson's 2.81.
- Who won more games? John Clarkson, with 328 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Clarkson, with 1,978 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to John Clarkson's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? John Clarkson, with 4,536.1 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Clarkson, with 37 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Clarkson, with 36,438 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Skenes's 14,331.
John Clarkson
Paul Skenes
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 1880s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Skenes is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | John Clarkson | Paul Skenes |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 328 | 31 |
| Losses not scored | 178 | 24 |
| Games | Leads: 531 | 87 |
| Games Started | Leads: 518 | 87 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 485 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 37 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 5 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,978 | 586 |
| Walks not scored | 1,191 | 123 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,295 | 376 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 159 | 41 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,536.1 | 495.0 |
| ERA | 2.81 | Leads: 2.62 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 3.92 | Leads: 10.65 |
| BB/9 | 2.36 | Leads: 2.24 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Clarkson outpaces Paul Skenes 36,438 to 14,331 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John Clarkson played 13 seasons to Paul Skenes's 2, while Paul Skenes carries the higher per-season figure (7,166 to 2,803). 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).
John Clarkson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Paul Skenes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Clarkson leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Paul Skenes owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Clarkson. PIV agrees: John Clarkson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the John Clarkson and Paul Skenes careers compare
No season is shared: John Clarkson played 1882–1894, Paul Skenes 2024–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: John Clarkson appeared in 531 games to Paul Skenes's 87. Where Paul Skenes comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.62 to 2.81), WHIP (1.01 to 1.21), and strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 3.92). By rate, John Clarkson struck out 3.92 and walked 2.36 per nine innings; Paul Skenes struck out 10.65 and walked 2.24. Both had the same role: John Clarkson was mainly a starter (518 starts in 531 games); Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games). Paul Skenes's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
John Clarkson vs Paul Skenes: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, John Clarkson or Paul Skenes?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Clarkson leads Paul Skenes in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to John Clarkson's 2.81.
- Who won more games?
- John Clarkson, with 328 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Clarkson, with 1,978 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to John Clarkson's 1.21.