Gerrit Cole vs Tim Hudson: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Hudson has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Tim Hudson played 1999–2015 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 Tim Hudson (1999–2015) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Tim Hudson finished with 222 wins and 2,080 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Tim Hudson's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Tim Hudson, with 222 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Tim Hudson's 2,080.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Tim Hudson's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Tim Hudson, with 3,126.2 to Gerrit Cole's 2,081.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Hudson, with 13 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gerrit Cole, with 50,909 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Hudson's 40,402.
Gerrit Cole
Tim Hudson
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 1990s 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 | Tim Hudson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 222 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 133 |
| Games | 339 | Leads: 482 |
| Games Started | 339 | Leads: 479 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 26 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 13 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,382 | 2,080 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 917 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 2,957 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 248 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,081.0 | Leads: 3,126.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.20 | 3.49 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 5.99 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.27 | 2.64 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gerrit Cole leads Tim Hudson 50,909 to 40,402 — driven by per-season impact — 4,242 PIV per season to 2,377 — rather than by longevity, since Gerrit Cole played 12 seasons to Tim Hudson's 17. 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)
Tim Hudson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gerrit Cole leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tim Hudson owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gerrit Cole. PIV agrees: Gerrit Cole 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 Tim Hudson careers compare
The careers of Gerrit Cole (2013–present) and Tim Hudson (1999–2015) overlapped from 2013 to 2015, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 339 games for Gerrit Cole and 482 for Tim Hudson across 12 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27 per nine innings; Tim Hudson struck out 5.99 and walked 2.64. Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games), and Tim Hudson was mainly a starter (479 starts in 482 games). In WHIP, Gerrit Cole's 1.09 beats Tim Hudson's 1.24. Because Gerrit Cole is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Gerrit Cole vs Tim Hudson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Tim Hudson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tim Hudson leads Gerrit Cole in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Tim Hudson's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Hudson, with 222 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Tim Hudson's 2,080.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Tim Hudson's 1.24.