Lefty Gomez vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Gomez 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). Lefty Gomez played 1930–1943 as a pitcher; Zack Wheeler has played 2013–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
Lefty Gomez (1930–1943) and Zack Wheeler (2013–present) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Gomez finished with 189 wins and 1,468 strikeouts; Zack Wheeler has 127 wins and 2,013 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to Lefty Gomez's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Lefty Gomez, with 189 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Wheeler, with 2,013 to Lefty Gomez's 1,468.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Lefty Gomez's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Gomez, with 2,503.0 to Zack Wheeler's 1,890.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Gomez, with 28 to Zack Wheeler's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Wheeler, with 39,270 career Pitcher PIV to Lefty Gomez's 15,583.
Lefty Gomez
Zack Wheeler
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 1930s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Zack Wheeler is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Lefty Gomez | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 189 | 127 |
| Losses not scored | 102 | 80 |
| Games | Leads: 368 | 311 |
| Games Started | Leads: 320 | 311 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 173 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 28 | 3 |
| Saves | Leads: 9 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,468 | Leads: 2,013 |
| Walks not scored | 1,095 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,290 | 1,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 138 | 187 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,503.0 | 1,890.1 |
| ERA | 3.34 | Leads: 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.35 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 5.28 | Leads: 9.58 |
| BB/9 | 3.94 | Leads: 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheeler outpaces Lefty Gomez 39,270 to 15,583 — driven by per-season impact — 3,570 PIV per season to 1,113 — rather than by longevity, since Zack Wheeler played 11 seasons to Lefty Gomez's 14. 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).
Lefty Gomez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Zack Wheeler — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Wheeler leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Lefty Gomez owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Wheeler. PIV agrees: Zack Wheeler grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lefty Gomez and Zack Wheeler careers compare
No season is shared: Lefty Gomez played 1930–1943, Zack Wheeler 2013–present. The two careers are close in length, 368 games for Lefty Gomez and 311 for Zack Wheeler across 14 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Lefty Gomez struck out 5.28 and walked 3.94 per nine innings; Zack Wheeler struck out 9.58 and walked 2.56. Both had the same role: Lefty Gomez was mainly a starter (320 starts in 368 games); Zack Wheeler was mainly a starter (311 starts in 311 games). Complete games (173 to 5) show how differently the two eras used starters. Zack Wheeler allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.13 WHIP to Lefty Gomez's 1.35. Because Zack Wheeler is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Lefty Gomez vs Zack Wheeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Gomez or Zack Wheeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Gomez leads Zack Wheeler in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to Lefty Gomez's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Gomez, with 189 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Wheeler, with 2,013 to Lefty Gomez's 1,468.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Lefty Gomez's 1.35.