Jacob deGrom vs Bret Saberhagen: Career Stats Comparison
Bret Saberhagen 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). Jacob deGrom has played 2014–present as a pitcher; Bret Saberhagen played 1984–2001 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 Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Bret Saberhagen finished with 167 wins and 1,715 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 Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Bret Saberhagen, with 167 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jacob deGrom, with 2,052 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Bret Saberhagen's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Bret Saberhagen, with 2,562.2 to Jacob deGrom's 1,702.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bret Saberhagen, with 16 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jacob deGrom, with 58,656 career Pitcher PIV to Bret Saberhagen's 53,065.
Jacob deGrom
Bret Saberhagen
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 1980s 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 | Bret Saberhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | Leads: 167 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 117 |
| Games | 279 | Leads: 399 |
| Games Started | 279 | Leads: 371 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 76 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,052 | 1,715 |
| Walks not scored | 391 | 471 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,312 | 2,452 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 166 | 218 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,702.1 | Leads: 2,562.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.73 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.85 | 6.02 |
| BB/9 | 2.07 | Leads: 1.65 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jacob deGrom leads Bret Saberhagen 58,656 to 53,065 — driven by per-season impact — 4,888 PIV per season to 3,122 — rather than by longevity, since Jacob deGrom played 12 seasons to Bret Saberhagen'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).
Jacob deGrom — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bret Saberhagen — 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 Bret Saberhagen 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 Bret Saberhagen careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bret Saberhagen's ended in 2001, and Jacob deGrom debuted in 2014. The two careers are close in length, 279 games for Jacob deGrom and 399 for Bret Saberhagen across 12 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Jacob deGrom are strikeouts (2,052 to 1,715), ERA (2.73 to 3.34), and WHIP (1.00 to 1.14). By rate, Jacob deGrom struck out 10.85 and walked 2.07 per nine innings; Bret Saberhagen struck out 6.02 and walked 1.65. Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games), and Bret Saberhagen was mainly a starter (371 starts in 399 games). Because Jacob deGrom is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jacob deGrom vs Bret Saberhagen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jacob deGrom or Bret Saberhagen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bret Saberhagen leads Jacob deGrom in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 167 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2,052 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Bret Saberhagen's 1.14.