Cole Hamels vs Brandon Webb: 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; Brandon Webb played 2003–2009 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 Brandon Webb (2003–2009) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cole Hamels finished with 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; Brandon Webb finished with 87 wins and 1,065 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Brandon Webb, with 3.27 to Cole Hamels's 3.43.
- Who won more games? Cole Hamels, with 163 to Brandon Webb's 87.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Brandon Webb's 1,065.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Brandon Webb's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Cole Hamels, with 2,698.0 to Brandon Webb's 1,319.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Brandon Webb, with 8 to Cole Hamels's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cole Hamels, with 32,591 career Pitcher PIV to Brandon Webb's 32,131.
Cole Hamels
Brandon Webb
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 | Brandon Webb |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 87 |
| Losses not scored | 122 | 62 |
| Games | Leads: 423 | 199 |
| Games Started | Leads: 422 | 198 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 15 |
| Shutouts | 7 | Leads: 8 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,560 | 1,065 |
| Walks not scored | 767 | 435 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,424 | 1,200 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 310 | 92 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,698.0 | 1,319.2 |
| ERA | 3.43 | Leads: 3.27 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.54 | 7.26 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.56 | 2.97 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cole Hamels edges Brandon Webb 32,591 to 32,131 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Cole Hamels played 17 seasons to Brandon Webb's 7, while Brandon Webb carries the higher per-season figure (4,590 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)
Brandon Webb — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cole Hamels leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Brandon Webb owns ERA. 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 Brandon Webb careers compare
The careers of Cole Hamels (2006–2020) and Brandon Webb (2003–2009) overlapped from 2006 to 2009, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 423 games of Cole Hamels with 199 of Brandon Webb across 17 and 7 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Brandon Webb comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (8 to 7) and ERA (3.27 to 3.43). The per-nine rows read 8.54 strikeouts and 2.56 walks for Cole Hamels, 7.26 and 2.97 for Brandon Webb. Both had the same role: Cole Hamels was mainly a starter (422 starts in 423 games); Brandon Webb was mainly a starter (198 starts in 199 games).
Cole Hamels vs Brandon Webb: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cole Hamels or Brandon Webb?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cole Hamels leads Brandon Webb in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Brandon Webb, with 3.27 to Cole Hamels's 3.43.
- Who won more games?
- Cole Hamels, with 163 to Brandon Webb's 87.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Brandon Webb's 1,065.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Brandon Webb's 1.24.