Cole Hamels vs Ryan Madson: Career Stats Comparison
Cole Hamels has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Ryan Madson played 2003–2018 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 Ryan Madson (2003–2018) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cole Hamels finished with 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; Ryan Madson finished with 61 wins and 775 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to Ryan Madson's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Cole Hamels, with 163 to Ryan Madson's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Ryan Madson's 775.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Ryan Madson's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Cole Hamels, with 2,698.0 to Ryan Madson's 869.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cole Hamels, with 7 to Ryan Madson's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cole Hamels, with 32,591 career Pitcher PIV to Ryan Madson's 15,272.
Cole Hamels
Ryan Madson
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 | Ryan Madson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 61 |
| Losses not scored | 122 | 48 |
| Games | 423 | Leads: 740 |
| Games Started | Leads: 422 | 18 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 7 | 0 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 91 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,560 | 775 |
| Walks not scored | 767 | 250 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,424 | 830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 310 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,698.0 | 869.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.43 | 3.48 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.54 | 8.02 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.56 | 2.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cole Hamels outpaces Ryan Madson 32,591 to 15,272 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,917 PIV per season to 1,018, across 17 seasons to 15. 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)
Ryan Madson — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cole Hamels leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Ryan Madson owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cole Hamels. PIV agrees: Cole Hamels 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 Ryan Madson careers compare
The careers of Cole Hamels (2006–2020) and Ryan Madson (2003–2018) overlapped from 2006 to 2018, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 423 games of Cole Hamels with 740 of Ryan Madson across 17 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Ryan Madson comes out ahead, it is in games (740 to 423) and saves (91 to 0). The per-nine rows read 8.54 strikeouts and 2.56 walks for Cole Hamels, 8.02 and 2.59 for Ryan Madson. Their roles differ: Cole Hamels was mainly a starter (422 starts in 423 games); Ryan Madson worked mostly in relief (18 starts in 740 games, 91 saves).
Cole Hamels vs Ryan Madson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cole Hamels or Ryan Madson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cole Hamels leads Ryan Madson in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to Ryan Madson's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Cole Hamels, with 163 to Ryan Madson's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Ryan Madson's 775.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Ryan Madson's 1.24.