Jacob deGrom vs Johan Santana: Career Stats Comparison
Johan Santana 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; Johan Santana played 2000–2012 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 Johan Santana (2000–2012) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Johan Santana finished with 139 wins and 1,988 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 Johan Santana's 3.20.
- Who won more games? Johan Santana, with 139 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jacob deGrom, with 2,052 to Johan Santana's 1,988.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Johan Santana's 1.13.
- Who pitched more innings? Johan Santana, with 2,025.2 to Jacob deGrom's 1,702.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Johan Santana, with 10 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jacob deGrom, with 58,656 career Pitcher PIV to Johan Santana's 48,732.
Jacob deGrom
Johan Santana
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 2000s 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 | Johan Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | Leads: 139 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 78 |
| Games | 279 | Leads: 360 |
| Games Started | 279 | Leads: 284 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 15 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 10 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,052 | 1,988 |
| Walks not scored | 391 | 567 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,312 | 1,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 166 | 220 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,702.1 | Leads: 2,025.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.73 | 3.20 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.85 | 8.83 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.07 | 2.52 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jacob deGrom leads Johan Santana 58,656 to 48,732 — driven by per-season impact — 4,888 PIV per season to 4,061 — rather than by longevity, since Jacob deGrom played 12 seasons to Johan Santana's 12. 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)
Johan Santana — 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 Johan Santana 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 Johan Santana careers compare
No season is shared: Johan Santana played 2000–2012, Jacob deGrom 2014–present. The two careers are close in length, 279 games for Jacob deGrom and 360 for Johan Santana across 12 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Jacob deGrom struck out 10.85 and walked 2.07 per nine innings; Johan Santana struck out 8.83 and walked 2.52. Both had the same role: Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games); Johan Santana was mainly a starter (284 starts in 360 games). Jacob deGrom allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.00 WHIP to Johan Santana's 1.13. Jacob deGrom's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Jacob deGrom vs Johan Santana: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jacob deGrom or Johan Santana?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Johan Santana leads Jacob deGrom in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Johan Santana's 3.20.
- Who won more games?
- Johan Santana, with 139 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2,052 to Johan Santana's 1,988.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Johan Santana's 1.13.