Sonny Gray vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Sonny Gray 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). Sonny Gray has played 2013–present 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
Sonny Gray (2013–present) and Zack Wheeler (2013–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Sonny Gray has 143 wins and 2,074 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; 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 Sonny Gray's 3.51.
- Who won more games? Sonny Gray, with 143 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sonny Gray, with 2,074 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Sonny Gray's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Sonny Gray, with 2,087.0 to Zack Wheeler's 1,890.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sonny Gray, with 5 to Zack Wheeler's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Wheeler, with 39,270 career Pitcher PIV to Sonny Gray's 31,195.
Sonny Gray
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Sonny Gray and Zack Wheeler are still active — their totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Sonny Gray | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 143 | 127 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 80 |
| Games | Leads: 368 | 311 |
| Games Started | Leads: 359 | 311 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 7 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 3 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,074 | 2,013 |
| Walks not scored | 667 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,823 | 1,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 208 | 187 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,087.0 | 1,890.1 |
| ERA | 3.51 | Leads: 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 8.94 | Leads: 9.58 |
| BB/9 | 2.88 | Leads: 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheeler leads Sonny Gray 39,270 to 31,195 — driven by per-season impact — 3,570 PIV per season to 2,228 — rather than by longevity, since Zack Wheeler played 11 seasons to Sonny Gray'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).
Sonny Gray — 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 ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Sonny Gray owns wins, strikeouts, 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 Sonny Gray and Zack Wheeler careers compare
The two careers overlap from 2013 on, with both players still active. The two careers are close in length, 368 games for Sonny Gray and 311 for Zack Wheeler across 14 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Zack Wheeler comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.26 to 3.51), WHIP (1.13 to 1.19), and strikeouts per nine (9.58 to 8.94). The per-nine rows read 8.94 strikeouts and 2.88 walks for Sonny Gray, 9.58 and 2.56 for Zack Wheeler. Both had the same role: Sonny Gray was mainly a starter (359 starts in 368 games); Zack Wheeler was mainly a starter (311 starts in 311 games). Sonny Gray and Zack Wheeler's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Sonny Gray vs Zack Wheeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sonny Gray or Zack Wheeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sonny Gray leads Zack Wheeler in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to Sonny Gray's 3.51.
- Who won more games?
- Sonny Gray, with 143 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sonny Gray, with 2,074 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Sonny Gray's 1.19.