Red Faber vs Satchel Paige: Career Stats Comparison
Red Faber and Satchel Paige are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Red Faber played 1914–1933 as a pitcher; Satchel Paige played 1948–1965 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
Red Faber (1914–1933) and Satchel Paige (1948–1965) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Red Faber finished with 254 wins and 1,471 strikeouts; Satchel Paige finished with 143 wins and 1,695 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Red Faber's 3.15.
- Who won more games? Red Faber, with 254 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to Red Faber's 1,471.
- Who had the better WHIP? Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Red Faber's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? Red Faber, with 4,086.2 to Satchel Paige's 1,962.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Red Faber, with 29 to Satchel Paige's 28.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Satchel Paige, with 77,694 career Pitcher PIV to Red Faber's 24,538.
Red Faber
Satchel Paige
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 1910s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Red Faber | Satchel Paige |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 254 | 143 |
| Losses not scored | 213 | 89 |
| Games | Leads: 669 | 438 |
| Games Started | Leads: 483 | 226 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 273 | 116 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 29 | 28 |
| Saves | 28 | Leads: 47 |
| Strikeouts | 1,471 | Leads: 1,695 |
| Walks not scored | 1,213 | 533 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,106 | 1,647 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 111 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,086.2 | 1,962.2 |
| ERA | 3.15 | Leads: 2.77 |
| WHIP | 1.30 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 3.24 | Leads: 7.77 |
| BB/9 | 2.67 | Leads: 2.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Satchel Paige outpaces Red Faber 77,694 to 24,538 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,775 PIV per season to 1,227, across 28 seasons to 20. 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).
Red Faber — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Satchel Paige — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Satchel Paige leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Red Faber owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Satchel Paige. PIV agrees: Satchel Paige grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Red Faber and Satchel Paige careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Red Faber's ended in 1933, and Satchel Paige debuted in 1948. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Red Faber appeared in 669 games to Satchel Paige's 438. By rate, Red Faber struck out 3.24 and walked 2.67 per nine innings; Satchel Paige struck out 7.77 and walked 2.44. Their roles differ: Red Faber was mainly a starter (483 starts in 669 games); Satchel Paige split time between starting and relief (226 starts in 438 games). In WHIP, Satchel Paige's 1.11 beats Red Faber's 1.30.
Red Faber vs Satchel Paige: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Red Faber's 3.15.
- Who won more games?
- Red Faber, with 254 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to Red Faber's 1,471.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Red Faber's 1.30.