Gerrit Cole vs Ed Walsh: Career Stats Comparison
Ed Walsh has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Ed Walsh played 1904–1917 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 Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Ed Walsh finished with 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games? Ed Walsh, with 195 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Gerrit Cole's 1.09.
- Who pitched more innings? Ed Walsh, with 2,964.1 to Gerrit Cole's 2,081.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ed Walsh, with 57 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ed Walsh, with 62,631 career Pitcher PIV to Gerrit Cole's 50,909.
Gerrit Cole
Ed Walsh
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 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Gerrit Cole is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Gerrit Cole | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 195 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 126 |
| Games | 339 | Leads: 430 |
| Games Started | Leads: 339 | 315 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 250 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 57 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 35 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,382 | 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,081.0 | Leads: 2,964.1 |
| ERA | 3.20 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.09 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 5.27 |
| BB/9 | 2.27 | Leads: 1.87 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Walsh leads Gerrit Cole 62,631 to 50,909 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,474 PIV per season to 4,242, across 14 seasons to 12. 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)
Ed Walsh — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ed Walsh leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Gerrit Cole owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ed Walsh. PIV agrees: Ed Walsh 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 Ed Walsh careers compare
Ed Walsh (1904–1917) was finished before Gerrit Cole (2013–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 339 games for Gerrit Cole and 430 for Ed Walsh across 12 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Gerrit Cole's edges on the table are starts (339 to 315), strikeouts (2,382 to 1,736), and strikeouts per nine (10.30 to 5.27). By rate, Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27 per nine innings; Ed Walsh struck out 5.27 and walked 1.87. Because Gerrit Cole is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Gerrit Cole vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Ed Walsh?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ed Walsh leads Gerrit Cole in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games?
- Ed Walsh, with 195 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Ed Walsh's 1,736.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Gerrit Cole's 1.09.