Don Drysdale vs Carl Hubbell: Career Stats Comparison
Don Drysdale and Carl Hubbell are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Don Drysdale played 1956–1969 as a pitcher; Carl Hubbell played 1928–1943 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
Don Drysdale (1956–1969) and Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Don Drysdale finished with 209 wins and 2,486 strikeouts; Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Carl Hubbell's 2.98.
- Who won more games? Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Don Drysdale's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Drysdale, with 1.15 to Carl Hubbell's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Carl Hubbell, with 3,590.1 to Don Drysdale's 3,432.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Drysdale, with 49 to Carl Hubbell's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Don Drysdale, with 57,464 career Pitcher PIV to Carl Hubbell's 54,753.
Don Drysdale
Carl Hubbell
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 1950s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Don Drysdale | Carl Hubbell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | Leads: 253 |
| Losses not scored | 166 | 154 |
| Games | 518 | Leads: 535 |
| Games Started | Leads: 465 | 431 |
| Complete Games | 167 | Leads: 260 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 49 | 36 |
| Saves | 6 | Leads: 33 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,486 | 1,677 |
| Walks not scored | 855 | 725 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,084 | 3,461 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 280 | 227 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,432.0 | Leads: 3,590.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.95 | 2.98 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.15 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.52 | 4.20 |
| BB/9 | 2.24 | Leads: 1.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Drysdale edges Carl Hubbell 57,464 to 54,753 — driven by per-season impact — 4,105 PIV per season to 3,422 — rather than by longevity, since Don Drysdale played 14 seasons to Carl Hubbell's 16. 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).
Don Drysdale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Carl Hubbell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Drysdale leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Carl Hubbell owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Drysdale. PIV agrees: Don Drysdale grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Drysdale and Carl Hubbell careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Carl Hubbell's ended in 1943, and Don Drysdale debuted in 1956. With 518 games against 535 across 14 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 6.52 strikeouts and 2.24 walks for Don Drysdale, 4.20 and 1.82 for Carl Hubbell. Both had the same role: Don Drysdale was mainly a starter (465 starts in 518 games); Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games). Don Drysdale allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.15 WHIP to Carl Hubbell's 1.17.
Don Drysdale vs Carl Hubbell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Carl Hubbell's 2.98.
- Who won more games?
- Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Don Drysdale's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Drysdale, with 1.15 to Carl Hubbell's 1.17.