Cole Hamels vs Ben Sheets: Career Stats Comparison
Cole Hamels has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Ben Sheets played 2001–2012 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 Ben Sheets (2001–2012) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cole Hamels finished with 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; Ben Sheets finished with 94 wins and 1,325 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 Ben Sheets's 3.78.
- Who won more games? Cole Hamels, with 163 to Ben Sheets's 94.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Ben Sheets's 1,325.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Ben Sheets's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Cole Hamels, with 2,698.0 to Ben Sheets's 1,596.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cole Hamels, with 7 to Ben Sheets's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cole Hamels, with 32,591 career Pitcher PIV to Ben Sheets's 28,864.
Cole Hamels
Ben Sheets
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 | Ben Sheets |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 94 |
| Losses not scored | 122 | 96 |
| Games | Leads: 423 | 250 |
| Games Started | Leads: 422 | 250 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 18 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 7 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,560 | 1,325 |
| Walks not scored | 767 | 369 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,424 | 1,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 310 | 184 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,698.0 | 1,596.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.43 | 3.78 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.54 | 7.47 |
| BB/9 | 2.56 | Leads: 2.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cole Hamels leads Ben Sheets 32,591 to 28,864 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Cole Hamels played 17 seasons to Ben Sheets's 10, while Ben Sheets carries the higher per-season figure (2,886 to 1,917). 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)
Ben Sheets — 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 Ben Sheets 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 Ben Sheets careers compare
From 2006 through 2012, Cole Hamels and Ben Sheets were in the majors together. Cole Hamels has the far longer record, 423 games against 250 across 17 and 10 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Ben Sheets's edges on the table are complete games (18 to 17) and walks per nine (2.08 to 2.56). The per-nine rows read 8.54 strikeouts and 2.56 walks for Cole Hamels, 7.47 and 2.08 for Ben Sheets. Both had the same role: Cole Hamels was mainly a starter (422 starts in 423 games); Ben Sheets was mainly a starter (250 starts in 250 games). In WHIP, Cole Hamels's 1.18 beats Ben Sheets's 1.22.
Cole Hamels vs Ben Sheets: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cole Hamels or Ben Sheets?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cole Hamels leads Ben Sheets in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to Ben Sheets's 3.78.
- Who won more games?
- Cole Hamels, with 163 to Ben Sheets's 94.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Ben Sheets's 1,325.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Ben Sheets's 1.22.