Cole Hamels vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Cole Hamels and Adam Wainwright are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Cole Hamels played 2006–2020 as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright played 2005–2023 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 Adam Wainwright (2005–2023) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cole Hamels finished with 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright finished with 200 wins and 2,202 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 Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Cole Hamels's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Cole Hamels, with 2,698.0 to Adam Wainwright's 2,668.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Cole Hamels's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Adam Wainwright, with 44,617 career Pitcher PIV to Cole Hamels's 32,591.
Cole Hamels
Adam Wainwright
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 | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses not scored | 122 | 128 |
| Games | 423 | Leads: 478 |
| Games Started | Leads: 422 | 411 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 7 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,560 | 2,202 |
| Walks not scored | 767 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,424 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 310 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,698.0 | 2,668.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.43 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.54 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | 2.56 | Leads: 2.48 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Adam Wainwright outpaces Cole Hamels 44,617 to 32,591 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,479 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cole Hamels leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Adam Wainwright owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cole Hamels. Note that PIV actually grades Adam Wainwright 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 Adam Wainwright careers compare
Cole Hamels and Adam Wainwright were active at the same time between 2006 and 2020. The two careers are close in length, 423 games for Cole Hamels and 478 for Adam Wainwright across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 8.54 strikeouts and 2.56 walks for Cole Hamels, 7.43 and 2.48 for Adam Wainwright. Both had the same role: Cole Hamels was mainly a starter (422 starts in 423 games); Adam Wainwright was mainly a starter (411 starts in 478 games). Cole Hamels allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
Cole Hamels vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Cole Hamels's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.