Jacob deGrom vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver 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; Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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 Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 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 Tom Seaver's 2.86.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Tom Seaver's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Seaver, with 4,782.2 to Jacob deGrom's 1,702.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Seaver, with 79,192 career Pitcher PIV to Jacob deGrom's 58,656.
Jacob deGrom
Tom Seaver
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 1960s 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 | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | Leads: 311 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 205 |
| Games | 279 | Leads: 656 |
| Games Started | 279 | Leads: 647 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 231 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,052 | Leads: 3,640 |
| Walks not scored | 391 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,312 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 166 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,702.1 | Leads: 4,782.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.73 | 2.86 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.85 | 6.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.07 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Jacob deGrom 79,192 to 58,656 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tom Seaver played 22 seasons to Jacob deGrom's 12, while Jacob deGrom carries the higher per-season figure (4,888 to 3,600). 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)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Jacob deGrom owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver 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 Tom Seaver careers compare
No season is shared: Tom Seaver played 1967–1986, Jacob deGrom 2014–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Jacob deGrom has appeared in 279 games to Tom Seaver's 656. The green cells for Jacob deGrom are ERA (2.73 to 2.86), WHIP (1.00 to 1.12), and strikeouts per nine (10.85 to 6.85). The per-nine rows read 10.85 strikeouts and 2.07 walks for Jacob deGrom, 6.85 and 2.62 for Tom Seaver. Both had the same role: Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games); Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games). Because Jacob deGrom is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jacob deGrom vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jacob deGrom or Tom Seaver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Jacob deGrom in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Tom Seaver's 2.86.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Tom Seaver's 1.12.