Gerrit Cole vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
Gerrit Cole has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 2010s. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through the 2026 season; Stephen Strasburg finished with 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Gerrit Cole, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Stephen Strasburg's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Gerrit Cole, with 163 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.
- How many innings did each pitch? Gerrit Cole 2,081.0, Stephen Strasburg 1,470.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gerrit Cole, with 5 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gerrit Cole | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 113 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 62 |
| Games not scored | 339 | 247 |
| Games Started not scored | 339 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 8 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 2 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,382 | 1,723 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,081.0 | 1,470.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.20 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | 10.30 | Leads: 10.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.27 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gerrit Cole leads Stephen Strasburg 51,727 to 41,364 — driven by per-season impact — 3,979 PIV per season to 3,182 — rather than by longevity, since Gerrit Cole played 13 seasons to Stephen Strasburg's 13. 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
Gerrit Cole leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Stephen Strasburg leads 1: strikeouts per nine. 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 Stephen Strasburg careers compare
The careers of Gerrit Cole (2013–present) and Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) overlapped from 2013 to 2022, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 339 games for Gerrit Cole and 247 for Stephen Strasburg across 13 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Stephen Strasburg's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (10.55 to 10.30). By rate, Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27 per nine innings; Stephen Strasburg struck out 10.55 and walked 2.41. Gerrit Cole's totals run through the 2026 season.
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 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Stephen Strasburg's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Gerrit Cole, with 163 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.