Candy Cummings vs Blake Snell: Career Stats Comparison
Candy Cummings has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Candy Cummings played 1872–1877 as a pitcher; Blake Snell has played 2016–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
Candy Cummings (1872–1877) and Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 1870s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Candy Cummings finished with 145 wins and 259 strikeouts; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Candy Cummings, with 2.42 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games? Candy Cummings, with 145 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Blake Snell, with 1,495 to Candy Cummings's 259.
- Who had the better WHIP? Blake Snell, with 1.22 to Candy Cummings's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Candy Cummings, with 2,149.2 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Candy Cummings, with 19 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Blake Snell, with 27,494 career Pitcher PIV to Candy Cummings's 8,753.
Candy Cummings
Blake Snell
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 1870s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Candy Cummings | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 145 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 94 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 242 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 241 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 233 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 19 | 1 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 259 | Leads: 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 113 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,526 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 12 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,149.2 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.42 | 3.10 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.22 |
| K/9 | 1.08 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 0.47 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Blake Snell outpaces Candy Cummings 27,494 to 8,753 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,749 PIV per season to 1,459, across 10 seasons to 6. 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).
Candy Cummings — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Blake Snell leads in strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Candy Cummings owns wins, ERA, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Blake Snell. PIV agrees: Blake Snell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Candy Cummings and Blake Snell careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Candy Cummings's ended in 1877, and Blake Snell debuted in 2016. With 242 games against 231 across 6 and 10 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Blake Snell comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts (1,495 to 259), WHIP (1.22 to 1.23), and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 1.08). The per-nine rows read 1.08 strikeouts and 0.47 walks for Candy Cummings, 11.21 and 4.03 for Blake Snell. Both had the same role: Candy Cummings was mainly a starter (241 starts in 242 games); Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Because Blake Snell is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Candy Cummings vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Candy Cummings or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Candy Cummings leads Blake Snell in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Candy Cummings, with 2.42 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games?
- Candy Cummings, with 145 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Blake Snell, with 1,495 to Candy Cummings's 259.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Blake Snell, with 1.22 to Candy Cummings's 1.23.