Sonny Gray vs Cole Hamels: Career Stats Comparison
Cole Hamels has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Sonny Gray has played 2013–present 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
Sonny Gray (2013–present) and Cole Hamels (2006–2020) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Sonny Gray has 143 wins and 2,074 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; 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 Sonny Gray's 3.51.
- Who won more games? Cole Hamels, with 163 to Sonny Gray's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Sonny Gray's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Sonny Gray's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Cole Hamels, with 2,698.0 to Sonny Gray's 2,087.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cole Hamels, with 7 to Sonny Gray's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cole Hamels, with 32,591 career Pitcher PIV to Sonny Gray's 31,195.
Sonny Gray
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 2010s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Sonny Gray is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Sonny Gray | Cole Hamels |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 163 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 122 |
| Games | 368 | Leads: 423 |
| Games Started | 359 | Leads: 422 |
| Complete Games | 7 | Leads: 17 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 7 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,074 | Leads: 2,560 |
| Walks not scored | 667 | 767 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,823 | 2,424 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 208 | 310 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,087.0 | Leads: 2,698.0 |
| ERA | 3.51 | Leads: 3.43 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.94 | 8.54 |
| BB/9 | 2.88 | Leads: 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cole Hamels edges Sonny Gray 32,591 to 31,195 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Cole Hamels played 17 seasons to Sonny Gray's 14, while Sonny Gray carries the higher per-season figure (2,228 to 1,917). 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).
Sonny Gray — 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, Cole Hamels leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Sonny Gray owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cole Hamels. PIV agrees: Cole Hamels grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Sonny Gray and Cole Hamels careers compare
The careers of Sonny Gray (2013–present) and Cole Hamels (2006–2020) overlapped from 2013 to 2020, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 368 games for Sonny Gray and 423 for Cole Hamels across 14 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Sonny Gray comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (8.94 to 8.54). The per-nine rows read 8.94 strikeouts and 2.88 walks for Sonny Gray, 8.54 and 2.56 for Cole Hamels. Sonny Gray's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Sonny Gray vs Cole Hamels: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sonny Gray or Cole Hamels?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cole Hamels leads Sonny Gray in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to Sonny Gray's 3.51.
- Who won more games?
- Cole Hamels, with 163 to Sonny Gray's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Sonny Gray's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Sonny Gray's 1.19.