Jacob deGrom vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Adam Wainwright has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Jacob deGrom has played 2014–present as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright has played 2005–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 Adam Wainwright (2005–present) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jacob deGrom compiled 96 wins and 1,851 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright put up 200 wins and 2,202 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 Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Jacob deGrom's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Jacob deGrom's 1,851.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 0.99 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Adam Wainwright, with 2,668 to Jacob deGrom's 1,539.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jacob deGrom, with 58,656 career Pitcher PIV to Adam Wainwright's 44,617.
Jacob deGrom
Adam Wainwright
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 | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 96 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses | 65 | 128 |
| Games | 248 | Leads: 478 |
| Games Started | 248 | Leads: 411 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | 1,851 | Leads: 2,202 |
| Walks | 345 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,173 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 146 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,539 | Leads: 2,668 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.57 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 0.99 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.82 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.48 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jacob deGrom leads Adam Wainwright 58,656 to 44,617 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,888 vs 2,479 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jacob deGrom leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Adam Wainwright owns wins, strikeouts, 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
Jacob deGrom vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jacob deGrom or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Adam Wainwright leads Jacob deGrom in 8 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.57 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Jacob deGrom's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Adam Wainwright, with 2,202 to Jacob deGrom's 1,851.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 0.99 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.