Gerrit Cole vs Bucky Walters: Career Stats Comparison
Bucky Walters has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Bucky Walters played 1931–1950 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 Bucky Walters (1931–1950) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Bucky Walters finished with 198 wins and 1,107 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Bucky Walters's 3.30.
- Who won more games? Bucky Walters, with 198 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Bucky Walters's 1,107.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Bucky Walters's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Bucky Walters, with 3,104.2 to Gerrit Cole's 2,081.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bucky Walters, with 42 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gerrit Cole, with 50,909 career Pitcher PIV to Bucky Walters's 4,048.
Gerrit Cole
Bucky Walters
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 1930s 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 | Bucky Walters |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 198 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 160 |
| Games | 339 | Leads: 428 |
| Games Started | 339 | Leads: 398 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 242 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 42 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,382 | 1,107 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 1,121 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 2,990 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 154 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,081.0 | Leads: 3,104.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.20 | 3.30 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 3.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.27 | 3.25 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gerrit Cole outpaces Bucky Walters 50,909 to 4,048 — driven by per-season impact — 4,242 PIV per season to 238 — rather than by longevity, since Gerrit Cole played 12 seasons to Bucky Walters's 17. 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)
Bucky Walters — 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 Bucky Walters 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
How the Gerrit Cole and Bucky Walters careers compare
Bucky Walters (1931–1950) 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 428 for Bucky Walters across 12 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27 per nine innings; Bucky Walters struck out 3.21 and walked 3.25. Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games), and Bucky Walters was mainly a starter (398 starts in 428 games). Complete games (8 to 242) show how differently the two eras used starters. Because Gerrit Cole is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Gerrit Cole vs Bucky Walters: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Bucky Walters?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bucky Walters leads Gerrit Cole in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Bucky Walters's 3.30.
- Who won more games?
- Bucky Walters, with 198 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Bucky Walters's 1,107.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Bucky Walters's 1.32.