Zack Greinke vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke has the better career line of the two, leading 4 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Zack Greinke played 2004–2023 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
Zack Greinke (2004–2023) and Chris Sale (2010–present) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 2010s respectively and share 14 seasons. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Zack Greinke, in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- How many innings did each pitch? Zack Greinke 3,389.1, Chris Sale 2,246.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Zack Greinke, with 5 to Chris Sale's 4.
Zack Greinke
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 159 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 97 |
| Games not scored | 586 | 420 |
| Games Started not scored | 541 | 339 |
| Complete Games | 17 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 4 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 12 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 2,779 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 518 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 1,821 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,389.1 | 2,246.2 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 2.95 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 11.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.08 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale leads Zack Greinke 73,774 to 58,246 — driven by per-season impact — 4,611 PIV per season to 2,912 — rather than by longevity, since Chris Sale played 16 seasons to Zack Greinke's 20. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Chris Sale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Zack Greinke leads 4 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, shutouts, strikeouts, and walks per nine. Chris Sale leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. 1 is tied. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Greinke. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Chris Sale higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Zack Greinke and Chris Sale careers compare
Zack Greinke and Chris Sale were active at the same time between 2010 and 2023. The two careers are close in length, 586 games for Zack Greinke and 420 for Chris Sale across 20 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Chris Sale are ERA (2.95 to 3.49), WHIP (1.04 to 1.17), and strikeouts per nine (11.13 to 7.91). The per-nine rows read 7.91 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Zack Greinke, 11.13 and 2.08 for Chris Sale. Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games), and Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games). Chris Sale's totals run through the 2026 season.
Zack Greinke vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Chris Sale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Chris Sale in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.