Tom Glavine vs Cole Hamels: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Cole Hamels played 2006–2020 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
Tom Glavine (1987–2008) and Cole Hamels (2006–2020) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Cole Hamels finished with 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Cole Hamels's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Cole Hamels's 2,560.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Cole Hamels's 2,698.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to Cole Hamels's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Glavine, with 40,421 career Pitcher PIV to Cole Hamels's 32,591.
Tom Glavine
Cole Hamels
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 1980s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Cole Hamels |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 163 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 122 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 423 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 422 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 56 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 7 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 2,560 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 767 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 2,424 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 310 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 2,698.0 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.43 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 8.54 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Glavine leads Cole Hamels 40,421 to 32,591 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tom Glavine played 22 seasons to Cole Hamels's 17, while Cole Hamels carries the higher per-season figure (1,917 to 1,837). 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).
Tom Glavine — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cole Hamels — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Glavine leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Cole Hamels owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Glavine. PIV agrees: Tom Glavine grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Glavine and Cole Hamels careers compare
Tom Glavine and Cole Hamels were active at the same time between 2006 and 2008. Tom Glavine has the far longer record, 682 games against 423 across 22 and 17 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Cole Hamels are ERA (3.43 to 3.54), WHIP (1.18 to 1.31), and strikeouts per nine (8.54 to 5.32). By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; Cole Hamels struck out 8.54 and walked 2.56. Both had the same role: Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games); Cole Hamels was mainly a starter (422 starts in 423 games).
Tom Glavine vs Cole Hamels: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Cole Hamels?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Glavine leads Cole Hamels in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Cole Hamels's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Cole Hamels's 2,560.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.