Willie Foster vs Paul Skenes: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Foster 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). Willie Foster played ?–1937 as a pitcher; Paul Skenes has played 2024–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
Willie Foster (?–1937) and Paul Skenes (2024–present) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Willie Foster finished with 125 wins and 1,062 strikeouts; Paul Skenes has 31 wins and 586 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Willie Foster's 2.66.
- Who won more games? Willie Foster, with 125 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Willie Foster, with 1,062 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Willie Foster's 1.15.
- Who pitched more innings? Willie Foster, with 1,665.0 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Willie Foster, with 34 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Willie Foster, with 41,672 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Skenes's 14,331.
Willie Foster
Paul Skenes
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Skenes is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Willie Foster | Paul Skenes |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 125 | 31 |
| Losses not scored | 60 | 24 |
| Games | Leads: 262 | 87 |
| Games Started | Leads: 185 | 87 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 142 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 34 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 14 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,062 | 586 |
| Walks not scored | 522 | 123 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,397 | 376 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 41 | 41 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,665.0 | 495.0 |
| ERA | 2.66 | Leads: 2.62 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 5.74 | Leads: 10.65 |
| BB/9 | 2.82 | Leads: 2.24 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Foster outpaces Paul Skenes 41,672 to 14,331 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie Foster played 19 seasons to Paul Skenes's 2, while Paul Skenes carries the higher per-season figure (7,166 to 2,193). 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).
Willie Foster — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Paul Skenes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Foster leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Paul Skenes owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Willie Foster. PIV agrees: Willie Foster grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Willie Foster and Paul Skenes careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Willie Foster's ended in 1937, and Paul Skenes debuted in 2024. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Willie Foster appeared in 262 games to Paul Skenes's 87. The green cells for Paul Skenes are ERA (2.62 to 2.66), WHIP (1.01 to 1.15), and strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 5.74). By rate, Willie Foster struck out 5.74 and walked 2.82 per nine innings; Paul Skenes struck out 10.65 and walked 2.24. Willie Foster was mainly a starter (185 starts in 262 games), and Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games). Because Paul Skenes is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Willie Foster vs Paul Skenes: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Foster or Paul Skenes?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Foster leads Paul Skenes in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Willie Foster's 2.66.
- Who won more games?
- Willie Foster, with 125 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Willie Foster, with 1,062 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Willie Foster's 1.15.