Gerrit Cole vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Gerrit Cole has the better career line of the two, leading 5 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; Adam Wainwright played 2005–2023 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 Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) — they debuted in the 2010s and the 2000s respectively and share 11 seasons. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through the 2026 season; Adam Wainwright finished with 200 wins and 2,202 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Gerrit Cole, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- How many innings did each pitch? Gerrit Cole 2,081.0, Adam Wainwright 2,668.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
Gerrit Cole
Adam Wainwright
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 | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 128 |
| Games not scored | 339 | 478 |
| Games Started not scored | 339 | 411 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,382 | 2,202 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,081.0 | 2,668.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.20 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.27 | 2.48 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gerrit Cole leads Adam Wainwright 51,727 to 44,617 — driven by per-season impact — 3,979 PIV per season to 2,479 — rather than by longevity, since Gerrit Cole played 13 seasons to Adam Wainwright's 18. 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Gerrit Cole leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. Adam Wainwright leads 3: wins, complete games, and shutouts. 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 Adam Wainwright careers compare
Gerrit Cole and Adam Wainwright were active at the same time between 2013 and 2023. The two careers are close in length, 339 games for Gerrit Cole and 478 for Adam Wainwright across 13 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Adam Wainwright's edges on the table are wins (200 to 163), complete games (28 to 8), and shutouts (11 to 5). The per-nine rows read 10.30 strikeouts and 2.27 walks for Gerrit Cole, 7.43 and 2.48 for Adam Wainwright. Both had the same role: Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games); Adam Wainwright was mainly a starter (411 starts in 478 games). Gerrit Cole's totals run through the 2026 season.
Gerrit Cole vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gerrit Cole leads Adam Wainwright in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.