Tom Glavine vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine and Chris Sale are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Chris Sale has played 2010–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
Tom Glavine (1987–2008) and Chris Sale (2010–present) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Chris Sale's 2,246.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to Chris Sale's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Sale, with 65,834 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Tom Glavine
Chris Sale
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Chris Sale is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 159 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 97 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 420 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 339 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 56 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 12 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | Leads: 2,779 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 518 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 1,821 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 2,246.2 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 2.95 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 11.13 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces Tom Glavine 65,834 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 4,389 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Chris Sale played 15 seasons to Tom Glavine's 22. 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)
Chris Sale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chris Sale leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tom Glavine owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chris Sale. PIV agrees: Chris Sale 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 Chris Sale careers compare
No season is shared: Tom Glavine played 1987–2008, Chris Sale 2010–present. Tom Glavine has the far longer record, 682 games against 420 across 22 and 15 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The per-nine rows read 5.32 strikeouts and 3.06 walks for Tom Glavine, 11.13 and 2.08 for Chris Sale. Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games), and Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games). The complete-game row, 56 against 17, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. In WHIP, Chris Sale's 1.04 beats Tom Glavine's 1.31. Because Chris Sale is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Tom Glavine vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.