Willie Foster vs Tarik Skubal: 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; Tarik Skubal has played 2020–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 Tarik Skubal (2020–present) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Willie Foster finished with 125 wins and 1,062 strikeouts; Tarik Skubal has 66 wins and 1,075 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Willie Foster, with 2.66 to Tarik Skubal's 3.02.
- Who won more games? Willie Foster, with 125 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tarik Skubal, with 1,075 to Willie Foster's 1,062.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Willie Foster's 1.15.
- Who pitched more innings? Willie Foster, with 1,665.0 to Tarik Skubal's 925.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Willie Foster, with 34 to Tarik Skubal's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Willie Foster, with 41,672 career Pitcher PIV to Tarik Skubal's 20,288.
Willie Foster
Tarik Skubal
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.
Tarik Skubal is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Willie Foster | Tarik Skubal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 125 | 66 |
| Losses not scored | 60 | 44 |
| Games | Leads: 262 | 163 |
| Games Started | Leads: 185 | 160 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 142 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 34 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 14 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,062 | Leads: 1,075 |
| Walks not scored | 522 | 199 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,397 | 740 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 41 | 104 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,665.0 | 925.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.66 | 3.02 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 5.74 | Leads: 10.46 |
| BB/9 | 2.82 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Willie Foster outpaces Tarik Skubal 41,672 to 20,288 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Willie Foster played 19 seasons to Tarik Skubal's 6, while Tarik Skubal carries the higher per-season figure (3,381 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)
Tarik Skubal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Willie Foster leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Tarik Skubal owns strikeouts, 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 Tarik Skubal careers compare
Willie Foster (?–1937) was finished before Tarik Skubal (2020–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 262 games of Willie Foster with 163 of Tarik Skubal across 19 and 6 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Tarik Skubal's edges on the table are strikeouts (1,075 to 1,062), WHIP (1.01 to 1.15), and strikeouts per nine (10.46 to 5.74). By rate, Willie Foster struck out 5.74 and walked 2.82 per nine innings; Tarik Skubal struck out 10.46 and walked 1.94. Willie Foster was mainly a starter (185 starts in 262 games), and Tarik Skubal was mainly a starter (160 starts in 163 games). Tarik Skubal's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Willie Foster vs Tarik Skubal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Willie Foster or Tarik Skubal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Willie Foster leads Tarik Skubal in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Willie Foster, with 2.66 to Tarik Skubal's 3.02.
- Who won more games?
- Willie Foster, with 125 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tarik Skubal, with 1,075 to Willie Foster's 1,062.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Willie Foster's 1.15.