Cole Hamels vs Jake Peavy: Career Stats Comparison
Cole Hamels has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Jake Peavy played 2002–2016 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 Jake Peavy (2002–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cole Hamels finished with 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; Jake Peavy finished with 152 wins and 2,207 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 Jake Peavy's 3.63.
- Who won more games? Cole Hamels, with 163 to Jake Peavy's 152.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Jake Peavy's 2,207.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Jake Peavy's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Cole Hamels, with 2,698.0 to Jake Peavy's 2,377.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cole Hamels, with 7 to Jake Peavy's 6.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jake Peavy, with 34,745 career Pitcher PIV to Cole Hamels's 32,591.
Cole Hamels
Jake Peavy
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 | Jake Peavy |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 152 |
| Losses not scored | 122 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 423 | 388 |
| Games Started | Leads: 422 | 377 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 7 | 6 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,560 | 2,207 |
| Walks not scored | 767 | 708 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,424 | 2,134 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 310 | 259 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,698.0 | 2,377.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.43 | 3.63 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.54 | 8.36 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.56 | 2.68 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jake Peavy edges Cole Hamels 34,745 to 32,591 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,930 PIV per season to 1,917, across 18 seasons to 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)
Jake Peavy — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cole Hamels leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jake Peavy owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cole Hamels. Note that PIV actually grades Jake Peavy ahead, which means Cole Hamels's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Cole Hamels and Jake Peavy careers compare
The careers of Cole Hamels (2006–2020) and Jake Peavy (2002–2016) overlapped from 2006 to 2016, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 423 games against 388 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Cole Hamels. By rate, Cole Hamels struck out 8.54 and walked 2.56 per nine innings; Jake Peavy struck out 8.36 and walked 2.68. Cole Hamels was mainly a starter (422 starts in 423 games), and Jake Peavy was mainly a starter (377 starts in 388 games). Cole Hamels allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Jake Peavy's 1.20.
Cole Hamels vs Jake Peavy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cole Hamels or Jake Peavy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cole Hamels leads Jake Peavy in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to Jake Peavy's 3.63.
- Who won more games?
- Cole Hamels, with 163 to Jake Peavy's 152.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Jake Peavy's 2,207.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Jake Peavy's 1.20.