Cole Hamels vs Blake Snell: 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; Blake Snell has played 2016–present 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 Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Cole Hamels finished with 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Cole Hamels's 3.43.
- Who won more games? Cole Hamels, with 163 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Blake Snell's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Cole Hamels, with 2,698.0 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cole Hamels, with 7 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cole Hamels, with 32,591 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Cole Hamels
Blake Snell
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, and the 2000s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Cole Hamels | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 122 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 423 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 422 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 7 | 1 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,560 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 767 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,424 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 310 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,698.0 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | 3.43 | Leads: 3.10 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 8.54 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.56 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cole Hamels leads Blake Snell 32,591 to 27,494 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Cole Hamels played 17 seasons to Blake Snell's 10, while Blake Snell carries the higher per-season figure (2,749 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)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cole Hamels leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Blake Snell owns ERA and K/9. 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 Blake Snell careers compare
Cole Hamels and Blake Snell were active at the same time between 2016 and 2020. The table compares 423 games of Cole Hamels with 231 of Blake Snell across 17 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Blake Snell are ERA (3.10 to 3.43) and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 8.54). By rate, Cole Hamels struck out 8.54 and walked 2.56 per nine innings; Blake Snell struck out 11.21 and walked 4.03. Both had the same role: Cole Hamels was mainly a starter (422 starts in 423 games); Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Blake Snell's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Cole Hamels vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cole Hamels or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cole Hamels leads Blake Snell in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Cole Hamels's 3.43.
- Who won more games?
- Cole Hamels, with 163 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Blake Snell's 1.22.