Gerrit Cole vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
Gerrit Cole has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Gerrit Cole has played 2013–present as a pitcher; Stephen Strasburg played 2010–2022 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 Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Gerrit Cole compiled 153 wins and 2,251 strikeouts; Stephen Strasburg put up 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Gerrit Cole, with 3.18 to Stephen Strasburg's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Gerrit Cole, with 153 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,251 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.
- Who pitched more innings? Gerrit Cole, with 1,954 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,470.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gerrit Cole, with 5 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gerrit Cole, with 50,909 career Pitcher PIV to Stephen Strasburg's 41,364.
Gerrit Cole
Stephen Strasburg
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Gerrit Cole | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 153 | 113 |
| Losses | 80 | 62 |
| Games | Leads: 317 | 247 |
| Games Started | Leads: 317 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 8 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 2 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,251 | 1,723 |
| Walks | 500 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,627 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 217 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,954 | 1,470 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.18 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | 10.37 | Leads: 10.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.30 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gerrit Cole leads Stephen Strasburg 50,909 to 41,364 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,242 vs 3,182 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Stephen Strasburg — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gerrit Cole leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Stephen Strasburg owns 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
Gerrit Cole vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gerrit Cole leads Stephen Strasburg in 10 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.18 to Stephen Strasburg's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Gerrit Cole, with 153 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,251 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.