Gerrit Cole vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Adam Wainwright has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Gerrit Cole has played 2013–present as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright has played 2005–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 Adam Wainwright (2005–present) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gerrit Cole compiled 153 wins and 2,251 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright put up 200 wins and 2,202 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 Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Gerrit Cole's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,251 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Adam Wainwright, with 2,668 to Gerrit Cole's 1,954.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gerrit Cole, with 50,909 career Pitcher PIV to Adam Wainwright's 44,617.
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. 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 | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 153 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses | 80 | 128 |
| Games | 317 | Leads: 478 |
| Games Started | 317 | Leads: 411 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,251 | 2,202 |
| Walks | 500 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,627 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 217 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,954 | Leads: 2,668 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.18 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.37 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.30 | 2.48 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gerrit Cole leads Adam Wainwright 50,909 to 44,617 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,242 vs 2,479 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)
Adam Wainwright — 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 Adam Wainwright owns wins and innings pitched. 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 Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Adam Wainwright leads Gerrit Cole in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.18 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Gerrit Cole's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,251 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.