Gerrit Cole vs Bret Saberhagen: Career Stats Comparison
Bret Saberhagen 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). Gerrit Cole has played 2013–present as a pitcher; Bret Saberhagen played 1984–2001 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 Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Bret Saberhagen finished with 167 wins and 1,715 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 Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Bret Saberhagen, with 167 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Bret Saberhagen's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Bret Saberhagen, with 2,562.2 to Gerrit Cole's 2,081.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bret Saberhagen, with 16 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bret Saberhagen, with 53,065 career Pitcher PIV to Gerrit Cole's 50,909.
Gerrit Cole
Bret Saberhagen
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 1980s 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 | Bret Saberhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 167 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 117 |
| Games | 339 | Leads: 399 |
| Games Started | 339 | Leads: 371 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 76 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,382 | 1,715 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 471 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 2,452 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 218 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,081.0 | Leads: 2,562.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.20 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 6.02 |
| BB/9 | 2.27 | Leads: 1.65 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bret Saberhagen edges Gerrit Cole 53,065 to 50,909 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Bret Saberhagen played 17 seasons to Gerrit Cole's 12, while Gerrit Cole carries the higher per-season figure (4,242 to 3,122). 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)
Bret Saberhagen — 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 Bret Saberhagen owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gerrit Cole. Note that PIV actually grades Bret Saberhagen ahead, which means Gerrit Cole's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gerrit Cole and Bret Saberhagen careers compare
No season is shared: Bret Saberhagen played 1984–2001, Gerrit Cole 2013–present. With 339 games against 399 across 12 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Gerrit Cole are strikeouts (2,382 to 1,715), ERA (3.20 to 3.34), and WHIP (1.09 to 1.14). The per-nine rows read 10.30 strikeouts and 2.27 walks for Gerrit Cole, 6.02 and 1.65 for Bret Saberhagen. Both had the same role: Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games); Bret Saberhagen was mainly a starter (371 starts in 399 games). The complete-game row, 8 against 76, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Because Gerrit Cole is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Gerrit Cole vs Bret Saberhagen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Bret Saberhagen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bret Saberhagen leads Gerrit Cole in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 167 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Bret Saberhagen's 1.14.