Don Drysdale vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Don Drysdale has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Don Drysdale played 1956–1969 as a pitcher; Zack Wheeler has played 2013–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
Don Drysdale (1956–1969) and Zack Wheeler (2013–present) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Don Drysdale finished with 209 wins and 2,486 strikeouts; Zack Wheeler has 127 wins and 2,013 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. 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 Zack Wheeler's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Don Drysdale, with 209 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Don Drysdale's 1.15.
- Who pitched more innings? Don Drysdale, with 3,432.0 to Zack Wheeler's 1,890.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Drysdale, with 49 to Zack Wheeler's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Don Drysdale, with 57,464 career Pitcher PIV to Zack Wheeler's 39,270.
Don Drysdale
Zack Wheeler
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Zack Wheeler is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Don Drysdale | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 209 | 127 |
| Losses not scored | 166 | 80 |
| Games | Leads: 518 | 311 |
| Games Started | Leads: 465 | 311 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 167 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 49 | 3 |
| Saves | Leads: 6 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,486 | 2,013 |
| Walks not scored | 855 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,084 | 1,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 280 | 187 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,432.0 | 1,890.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.95 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 6.52 | Leads: 9.58 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.24 | 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Drysdale outpaces Zack Wheeler 57,464 to 39,270 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,105 PIV per season to 3,570, across 14 seasons to 11. 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)
Zack Wheeler — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Drysdale leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Zack Wheeler owns WHIP and K/9. 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 Zack Wheeler careers compare
Don Drysdale (1956–1969) was finished before Zack Wheeler (2013–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 518 games of Don Drysdale with 311 of Zack Wheeler across 14 and 11 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Zack Wheeler are WHIP (1.13 to 1.15) and strikeouts per nine (9.58 to 6.52). By rate, Don Drysdale struck out 6.52 and walked 2.24 per nine innings; Zack Wheeler struck out 9.58 and walked 2.56. Both had the same role: Don Drysdale was mainly a starter (465 starts in 518 games); Zack Wheeler was mainly a starter (311 starts in 311 games). Zack Wheeler's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Don Drysdale vs Zack Wheeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Drysdale or Zack Wheeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Drysdale leads Zack Wheeler in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Zack Wheeler's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Don Drysdale, with 209 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Don Drysdale's 1.15.