Zack Greinke vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke and CC Sabathia are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Zack Greinke played 2004–2023 as a pitcher; CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 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
Zack Greinke (2004–2023) and CC Sabathia (2001–2019) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; CC Sabathia finished with 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Zack Greinke, with 3.49 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to Zack Greinke's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? CC Sabathia, with 3,577.1 to Zack Greinke's 3,389.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to Zack Greinke's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to CC Sabathia's 43,212.
Zack Greinke
CC Sabathia
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.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 225 | Leads: 251 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 161 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 561 |
| Games Started | 541 | Leads: 560 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 38 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,979 | Leads: 3,093 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,389.1 | Leads: 3,577.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.49 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.91 | 7.78 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke outpaces CC Sabathia 58,246 to 43,212 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,648 PIV per season to 2,161, across 22 seasons to 20. 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).
Zack Greinke — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Greinke leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while CC Sabathia owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Greinke. PIV agrees: Zack Greinke grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Zack Greinke and CC Sabathia careers compare
From 2004 through 2019, Zack Greinke and CC Sabathia were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 586 games for Zack Greinke and 561 for CC Sabathia across 22 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 7.91 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Zack Greinke, 7.78 and 2.76 for CC Sabathia. Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games), and CC Sabathia was mainly a starter (560 starts in 561 games). In WHIP, Zack Greinke's 1.17 beats CC Sabathia's 1.26.
Zack Greinke vs CC Sabathia: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Greinke, with 3.49 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to Zack Greinke's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.