Gerrit Cole vs Paul Skenes: Career Stats Comparison
Gerrit Cole has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; 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
Gerrit Cole (2013–present) and Paul Skenes (2024–present) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; 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 Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games? Gerrit Cole, with 163 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Gerrit Cole's 1.09.
- Who pitched more innings? Gerrit Cole, with 2,081.0 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gerrit Cole, with 5 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gerrit Cole, with 50,909 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Skenes's 14,331.
Gerrit Cole
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 2010s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Gerrit Cole and Paul Skenes are still active — their totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Gerrit Cole | Paul Skenes |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 31 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 24 |
| Games | Leads: 339 | 87 |
| Games Started | Leads: 339 | 87 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 8 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 0 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,382 | 586 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 123 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 376 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 41 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,081.0 | 495.0 |
| ERA | 3.20 | Leads: 2.62 |
| WHIP | 1.09 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 10.30 | Leads: 10.65 |
| BB/9 | 2.27 | Leads: 2.24 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gerrit Cole outpaces Paul Skenes 50,909 to 14,331 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gerrit Cole played 12 seasons to Paul Skenes's 2, while Paul Skenes carries the higher per-season figure (7,166 to 4,242). 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)
Paul Skenes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gerrit Cole 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 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 Paul Skenes careers compare
The two careers overlap from 2024 on, with both players still active. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Gerrit Cole has appeared in 339 games to Paul Skenes's 87. Paul Skenes's edges on the table are ERA (2.62 to 3.20), WHIP (1.01 to 1.09), and strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 10.30). By rate, Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27 per nine innings; Paul Skenes struck out 10.65 and walked 2.24. Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games), and Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games). In WHIP, Paul Skenes's 1.01 beats Gerrit Cole's 1.09. Because Gerrit Cole and Paul Skenes are still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Gerrit Cole vs Paul Skenes: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Paul Skenes?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gerrit Cole leads Paul Skenes in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games?
- Gerrit Cole, with 163 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Gerrit Cole's 1.09.