Gerrit Cole vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Gerrit Cole has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Zack Wheeler has played 2013–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 Zack Wheeler (2013–present) — both debuted in the 2010s. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through the 2026 season; Zack Wheeler has 127 wins and 2,013 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Gerrit Cole, in 8 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Zack Wheeler's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Gerrit Cole, with 163 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Zack Wheeler's 1.13.
- How many innings did each pitch? Gerrit Cole 2,081.0, Zack Wheeler 1,890.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gerrit Cole, with 5 to Zack Wheeler's 3.
Gerrit Cole
Zack Wheeler
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 | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 127 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 80 |
| Games not scored | 339 | 311 |
| Games Started not scored | 339 | 311 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 8 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 3 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,382 | 2,013 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 1,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 187 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,081.0 | 1,890.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.20 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 9.58 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.27 | 2.56 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gerrit Cole leads Zack Wheeler 51,727 to 42,747 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,979 PIV per season to 3,562, across 13 seasons to 12. 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)
Zack Wheeler — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Gerrit Cole leads 8 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Zack Wheeler leads 0: no scored category. 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 Zack Wheeler careers compare
Gerrit Cole and Zack Wheeler are both active, and their careers have run side by side since 2013. The two careers are close in length, 339 games for Gerrit Cole and 311 for Zack Wheeler across 13 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Gerrit Cole. By rate, Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27 per nine innings; Zack Wheeler struck out 9.58 and walked 2.56. Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games), and Zack Wheeler was mainly a starter (311 starts in 311 games). In WHIP, Gerrit Cole's 1.09 beats Zack Wheeler's 1.13. Gerrit Cole and Zack Wheeler's totals run through the 2026 season.
Gerrit Cole vs Zack Wheeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Zack Wheeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gerrit Cole leads Zack Wheeler in 8 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Zack Wheeler's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Gerrit Cole, with 163 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Zack Wheeler's 1.13.