Cole Hamels vs Tim Hudson: Career Stats Comparison
Cole Hamels (2006–2020) and Tim Hudson (1999–2015) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Cole Hamels compiled 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; Tim Hudson put up 222 wins and 2,080 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Cole Hamels
Tim Hudson
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Cole Hamels | Tim Hudson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | 222 |
| Losses | 122 | 133 |
| Games | 423 | 482 |
| Games Started | 422 | 479 |
| Complete Games | 17 | 26 |
| Shutouts | 7 | 13 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,560 | 2,080 |
| Walks | 767 | 917 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,424 | 2,957 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 310 | 248 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,698 | 3,126 |
| ERA | 3.43 | 3.49 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 8.54 | 5.99 |
| BB/9 | 2.56 | 2.64 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tim Hudson leads Cole Hamels 40,402 to 32,591 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,377 vs 1,917 per year). 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).
Cole Hamels — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tim Hudson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cole Hamels leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tim Hudson owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cole Hamels. Note that PIV actually grades Tim Hudson ahead, which means Cole Hamels's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.