Yu Darvish vs Sonny Gray: Career Stats Comparison
Sonny Gray 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). Yu Darvish played 2012–2025 as a pitcher; Sonny Gray 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
Yu Darvish (2012–2025) and Sonny Gray (2013–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Yu Darvish finished with 115 wins and 2,075 strikeouts; Sonny Gray has 143 wins and 2,074 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Sonny Gray, with 3.51 to Yu Darvish's 3.65.
- Who won more games? Sonny Gray, with 143 to Yu Darvish's 115.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Yu Darvish, with 2,075 to Sonny Gray's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP? Yu Darvish, with 1.14 to Sonny Gray's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Sonny Gray, with 2,087.0 to Yu Darvish's 1,778.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sonny Gray, with 5 to Yu Darvish's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sonny Gray, with 31,195 career Pitcher PIV to Yu Darvish's 25,371.
Yu Darvish
Sonny Gray
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Sonny Gray is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Yu Darvish | Sonny Gray |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 115 | Leads: 143 |
| Losses not scored | 93 | 107 |
| Games | 297 | Leads: 368 |
| Games Started | 297 | Leads: 359 |
| Complete Games | 2 | Leads: 7 |
| Shutouts | 1 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,075 | 2,074 |
| Walks not scored | 563 | 667 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,460 | 1,823 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 231 | 208 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,778.0 | Leads: 2,087.0 |
| ERA | 3.65 | Leads: 3.51 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.50 | 8.94 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.85 | 2.88 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sonny Gray leads Yu Darvish 31,195 to 25,371 — driven by per-season impact — 2,228 PIV per season to 1,812 — rather than by longevity, since Sonny Gray played 14 seasons to Yu Darvish's 14. 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).
Yu Darvish — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Sonny Gray — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sonny Gray leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Yu Darvish owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sonny Gray. PIV agrees: Sonny Gray grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Yu Darvish and Sonny Gray careers compare
Yu Darvish and Sonny Gray were active at the same time between 2013 and 2025. The two careers are close in length, 297 games for Yu Darvish and 368 for Sonny Gray across 14 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Yu Darvish's edges on the table are strikeouts (2,075 to 2,074), WHIP (1.14 to 1.19), and strikeouts per nine (10.50 to 8.94). By rate, Yu Darvish struck out 10.50 and walked 2.85 per nine innings; Sonny Gray struck out 8.94 and walked 2.88. Yu Darvish was mainly a starter (297 starts in 297 games), and Sonny Gray was mainly a starter (359 starts in 368 games). Sonny Gray's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Yu Darvish vs Sonny Gray: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Yu Darvish or Sonny Gray?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sonny Gray leads Yu Darvish in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sonny Gray, with 3.51 to Yu Darvish's 3.65.
- Who won more games?
- Sonny Gray, with 143 to Yu Darvish's 115.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Yu Darvish, with 2,075 to Sonny Gray's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Yu Darvish, with 1.14 to Sonny Gray's 1.19.