Gerrit Cole vs Don Drysdale: Career Stats Comparison
Don Drysdale 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). Gerrit Cole has played 2013–present as a pitcher; Don Drysdale played 1956–1969 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
Gerrit Cole (2013–present) and Don Drysdale (1956–1969) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Don Drysdale finished with 209 wins and 2,486 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games? Don Drysdale, with 209 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to Gerrit Cole's 2,382.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Don Drysdale's 1.15.
- Who pitched more innings? Don Drysdale, with 3,432.0 to Gerrit Cole's 2,081.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Drysdale, with 49 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Don Drysdale, with 57,464 career Pitcher PIV to Gerrit Cole's 50,909.
Gerrit Cole
Don Drysdale
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 2010s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Gerrit Cole is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Gerrit Cole | Don Drysdale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 209 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 166 |
| Games | 339 | Leads: 518 |
| Games Started | 339 | Leads: 465 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 167 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 49 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 6 |
| Strikeouts | 2,382 | Leads: 2,486 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 855 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 3,084 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 280 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,081.0 | Leads: 3,432.0 |
| ERA | 3.20 | Leads: 2.95 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.15 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 6.52 |
| BB/9 | 2.27 | Leads: 2.24 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Drysdale leads Gerrit Cole 57,464 to 50,909 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Don Drysdale played 14 seasons to Gerrit Cole's 12, while Gerrit Cole carries the higher per-season figure (4,242 to 4,105). 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).
Gerrit Cole — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Don Drysdale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Drysdale leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Gerrit Cole owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Drysdale. PIV agrees: Don Drysdale grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gerrit Cole and Don Drysdale careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Don Drysdale's ended in 1969, and Gerrit Cole debuted in 2013. The table compares 339 games of Gerrit Cole with 518 of Don Drysdale across 12 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Gerrit Cole's edges on the table are WHIP (1.09 to 1.15) and strikeouts per nine (10.30 to 6.52). By rate, Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27 per nine innings; Don Drysdale struck out 6.52 and walked 2.24. Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games), and Don Drysdale was mainly a starter (465 starts in 518 games). Because Gerrit Cole is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Gerrit Cole vs Don Drysdale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Don Drysdale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Drysdale leads Gerrit Cole in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games?
- Don Drysdale, with 209 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to Gerrit Cole's 2,382.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Don Drysdale's 1.15.