Cole Hamels vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Cole Hamels 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; Zack Wheeler has played 2013–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 Zack Wheeler (2013–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; Zack Wheeler has 127 wins and 2,013 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to Cole Hamels's 3.43.
- Who won more games? Cole Hamels, with 163 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Cole Hamels's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Cole Hamels, with 2,698.0 to Zack Wheeler's 1,890.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cole Hamels, with 7 to Zack Wheeler's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Wheeler, with 39,270 career Pitcher PIV to Cole Hamels's 32,591.
Cole Hamels
Zack Wheeler
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.
Zack Wheeler is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Cole Hamels | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 127 |
| Losses not scored | 122 | 80 |
| Games | Leads: 423 | 311 |
| Games Started | Leads: 422 | 311 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 7 | 3 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,560 | 2,013 |
| Walks not scored | 767 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,424 | 1,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 310 | 187 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,698.0 | 1,890.1 |
| ERA | 3.43 | Leads: 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 8.54 | Leads: 9.58 |
| BB/9 | 2.56 | Leads: 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheeler leads Cole Hamels 39,270 to 32,591 — driven by per-season impact — 3,570 PIV per season to 1,917 — rather than by longevity, since Zack Wheeler played 11 seasons to Cole Hamels's 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)
Zack Wheeler — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Wheeler leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Cole Hamels owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Wheeler. PIV agrees: Zack Wheeler 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 Zack Wheeler careers compare
The careers of Cole Hamels (2006–2020) and Zack Wheeler (2013–present) overlapped from 2013 to 2020, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 423 games for Cole Hamels and 311 for Zack Wheeler across 17 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Zack Wheeler's edges on the table are ERA (3.26 to 3.43), WHIP (1.13 to 1.18), and strikeouts per nine (9.58 to 8.54). By rate, Cole Hamels struck out 8.54 and walked 2.56 per nine innings; Zack Wheeler struck out 9.58 and walked 2.56. Because Zack Wheeler is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Cole Hamels vs Zack Wheeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cole Hamels or Zack Wheeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cole Hamels leads Zack Wheeler in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to Cole Hamels's 3.43.
- Who won more games?
- Cole Hamels, with 163 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Cole Hamels's 1.18.