Jacob deGrom vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jacob deGrom has played 2014–present as a pitcher; Chris Sale has played 2010–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
Jacob deGrom (2014–present) and Chris Sale (2010–present) — both debuted in the 2010s. Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 strikeouts through the 2026 season; Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Chris Sale, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Chris Sale's 2.95.
- Who won more games? Chris Sale, with 159 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Chris Sale's 1.04.
- How many innings did each pitch? Jacob deGrom 1,702.1, Chris Sale 2,246.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Chris Sale, with 4 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
Jacob deGrom
Chris Sale
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 | Jacob deGrom | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | Leads: 159 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 97 |
| Games not scored | 279 | 420 |
| Games Started not scored | 279 | 339 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 17 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 4 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 12 |
| Strikeouts | 2,052 | Leads: 2,779 |
| Walks not scored | 391 | 518 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,312 | 1,821 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 166 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,702.1 | 2,246.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.73 | 2.95 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.04 |
| K/9 | 10.85 | Leads: 11.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.07 | 2.08 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale leads Jacob deGrom 73,774 to 63,135 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Chris Sale played 16 seasons to Jacob deGrom's 13, while Jacob deGrom carries the higher per-season figure (4,856 to 4,611). 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).
Jacob deGrom — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Chris Sale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Chris Sale leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Jacob deGrom leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chris Sale. PIV agrees: Chris Sale 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 Chris Sale careers compare
Jacob deGrom and Chris Sale are both active, and their careers have run side by side since 2014. The table compares 279 games of Jacob deGrom with 420 of Chris Sale across 13 and 16 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Jacob deGrom's edges on the table are ERA (2.73 to 2.95), WHIP (1.00 to 1.04), and walks per nine (2.07 to 2.08). The per-nine rows read 10.85 strikeouts and 2.07 walks for Jacob deGrom, 11.13 and 2.08 for Chris Sale. Both had the same role: Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games); Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games). Jacob deGrom and Chris Sale's totals run through the 2026 season.
Jacob deGrom vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jacob deGrom or Chris Sale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Sale leads Jacob deGrom in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Chris Sale's 2.95.
- Who won more games?
- Chris Sale, with 159 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Chris Sale's 1.04.