Cole Hamels vs Felix Hernandez: Career Stats Comparison
Cole Hamels has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Cole Hamels played 2006–2020 as a pitcher; Felix Hernandez played 2005–2019 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
Cole Hamels (2006–2020) and Felix Hernandez (2005–2019) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cole Hamels finished with 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; Felix Hernandez finished with 169 wins and 2,524 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Felix Hernandez, with 3.42 to Cole Hamels's 3.43.
- Who won more games? Felix Hernandez, with 169 to Cole Hamels's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Felix Hernandez's 2,524.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Felix Hernandez's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Felix Hernandez, with 2,729.2 to Cole Hamels's 2,698.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Felix Hernandez, with 11 to Cole Hamels's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Felix Hernandez, with 44,530 career Pitcher PIV to Cole Hamels's 32,591.
Cole Hamels
Felix Hernandez
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 | Cole Hamels | Felix Hernandez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 169 |
| Losses not scored | 122 | 136 |
| Games | Leads: 423 | 419 |
| Games Started | Leads: 422 | 418 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 25 |
| Shutouts | 7 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,560 | 2,524 |
| Walks not scored | 767 | 805 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,424 | 2,487 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 310 | 264 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,698.0 | Leads: 2,729.2 |
| ERA | 3.43 | Leads: 3.42 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.54 | 8.32 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.56 | 2.65 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Felix Hernandez outpaces Cole Hamels 44,530 to 32,591 — driven by per-season impact — 2,969 PIV per season to 1,917 — rather than by longevity, since Felix Hernandez played 15 seasons to Cole Hamels's 17. 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).
Cole Hamels — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Felix Hernandez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Felix Hernandez leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Cole Hamels owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Felix Hernandez. PIV agrees: Felix Hernandez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cole Hamels and Felix Hernandez careers compare
The careers of Cole Hamels (2006–2020) and Felix Hernandez (2005–2019) overlapped from 2006 to 2019, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 423 games for Cole Hamels and 419 for Felix Hernandez across 17 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Cole Hamels struck out 8.54 and walked 2.56 per nine innings; Felix Hernandez struck out 8.32 and walked 2.65. Both had the same role: Cole Hamels was mainly a starter (422 starts in 423 games); Felix Hernandez was mainly a starter (418 starts in 419 games). In WHIP, Cole Hamels's 1.18 beats Felix Hernandez's 1.21.
Cole Hamels vs Felix Hernandez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cole Hamels or Felix Hernandez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cole Hamels leads Felix Hernandez in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Felix Hernandez, with 3.42 to Cole Hamels's 3.43.
- Who won more games?
- Felix Hernandez, with 169 to Cole Hamels's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Felix Hernandez's 2,524.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Felix Hernandez's 1.21.