Jacob deGrom vs Whitey Ford: Career Stats Comparison
Whitey Ford 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). Jacob deGrom has played 2014–present as a pitcher; Whitey Ford played 1950–1967 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
Jacob deGrom (2014–present) and Whitey Ford (1950–1967) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Whitey Ford finished with 236 wins and 1,956 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Whitey Ford's 2.75.
- Who won more games? Whitey Ford, with 236 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jacob deGrom, with 2,052 to Whitey Ford's 1,956.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Whitey Ford's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Whitey Ford, with 3,170.1 to Jacob deGrom's 1,702.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Whitey Ford, with 45 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jacob deGrom, with 58,656 career Pitcher PIV to Whitey Ford's 47,870.
Jacob deGrom
Whitey Ford
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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Jacob deGrom is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jacob deGrom | Whitey Ford |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | Leads: 236 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 106 |
| Games | 279 | Leads: 498 |
| Games Started | 279 | Leads: 438 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 156 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 45 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 10 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,052 | 1,956 |
| Walks not scored | 391 | 1,086 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,312 | 2,766 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 166 | 228 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,702.1 | Leads: 3,170.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.73 | 2.75 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.85 | 5.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.07 | 3.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jacob deGrom leads Whitey Ford 58,656 to 47,870 — driven by per-season impact — 4,888 PIV per season to 2,992 — rather than by longevity, since Jacob deGrom played 12 seasons to Whitey Ford's 16. 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).
Jacob deGrom — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Whitey Ford — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jacob deGrom leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Whitey Ford owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jacob deGrom. PIV agrees: Jacob deGrom grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jacob deGrom and Whitey Ford careers compare
Whitey Ford (1950–1967) was finished before Jacob deGrom (2014–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Jacob deGrom has appeared in 279 games to Whitey Ford's 498. By rate, Jacob deGrom struck out 10.85 and walked 2.07 per nine innings; Whitey Ford struck out 5.55 and walked 3.08. Both had the same role: Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games); Whitey Ford was mainly a starter (438 starts in 498 games). Complete games (4 to 156) show how differently the two eras used starters. Jacob deGrom allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.00 WHIP to Whitey Ford's 1.22. Because Jacob deGrom is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jacob deGrom vs Whitey Ford: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jacob deGrom or Whitey Ford?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Whitey Ford leads Jacob deGrom in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Whitey Ford's 2.75.
- Who won more games?
- Whitey Ford, with 236 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2,052 to Whitey Ford's 1,956.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Whitey Ford's 1.22.