Cole Hamels vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 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 CC Sabathia (2001–2019) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cole Hamels finished with 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; CC Sabathia finished with 251 wins and 3,093 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 CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to Cole Hamels's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Cole Hamels's 2,560.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? CC Sabathia, with 3,577.1 to Cole Hamels's 2,698.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to Cole Hamels's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? CC Sabathia, with 43,212 career Pitcher PIV to Cole Hamels's 32,591.
Cole Hamels
CC Sabathia
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 | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 251 |
| Losses not scored | 122 | 161 |
| Games | 423 | Leads: 561 |
| Games Started | 422 | Leads: 560 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 38 |
| Shutouts | 7 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,560 | Leads: 3,093 |
| Walks not scored | 767 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,424 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 310 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,698.0 | Leads: 3,577.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.43 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.54 | 7.78 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.56 | 2.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), CC Sabathia leads Cole Hamels 43,212 to 32,591 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,161 PIV per season to 1,917, across 20 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)
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, CC Sabathia leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Cole Hamels owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to CC Sabathia. PIV agrees: CC Sabathia 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 CC Sabathia careers compare
Cole Hamels and CC Sabathia were active at the same time between 2006 and 2019. With 423 games against 561 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Cole Hamels are ERA (3.43 to 3.74), WHIP (1.18 to 1.26), and strikeouts per nine (8.54 to 7.78). By rate, Cole Hamels struck out 8.54 and walked 2.56 per nine innings; CC Sabathia struck out 7.78 and walked 2.76. Both had the same role: Cole Hamels was mainly a starter (422 starts in 423 games); CC Sabathia was mainly a starter (560 starts in 561 games).
Cole Hamels vs CC Sabathia: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cole Hamels or CC Sabathia?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, CC Sabathia leads Cole Hamels in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to Cole Hamels's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Cole Hamels's 2,560.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.