Jacob deGrom vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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 came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jacob deGrom compiled 96 wins and 1,851 strikeouts; Chris Sale put up 145 wins and 2,579 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jacob deGrom, with 2.57 to Chris Sale's 3.01.
- Who won more games? Chris Sale, with 145 to Jacob deGrom's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,579 to Jacob deGrom's 1,851.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 0.99 to Chris Sale's 1.05.
- Who pitched more innings? Chris Sale, with 2,084 to Jacob deGrom's 1,539.
- Who threw more shutouts? Chris Sale, with 3 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Sale, with 65,834 career Pitcher PIV to Jacob deGrom's 58,656.
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Jacob deGrom | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 96 | Leads: 145 |
| Losses | 65 | 88 |
| Games | 248 | Leads: 393 |
| Games Started | 248 | Leads: 312 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 16 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 3 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 12 |
| Strikeouts | 1,851 | Leads: 2,579 |
| Walks | 345 | 487 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,173 | 1,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 146 | 213 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,539 | Leads: 2,084 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.57 | 3.01 |
| WHIP | Leads: 0.99 | 1.05 |
| K/9 | 10.82 | Leads: 11.14 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale leads Jacob deGrom 65,834 to 58,656 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,389 vs 4,888 per year). 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
On the head-to-head card, Chris Sale leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Jacob deGrom owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
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 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.57 to Chris Sale's 3.01.
- Who won more games?
- Chris Sale, with 145 to Jacob deGrom's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,579 to Jacob deGrom's 1,851.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 0.99 to Chris Sale's 1.05.