Felix Hernandez vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Felix Hernandez played 2005–2019 as a pitcher; CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 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
Felix Hernandez (2005–2019) and CC Sabathia (2001–2019) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Felix Hernandez compiled 169 wins and 2,524 strikeouts; CC Sabathia put up 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Felix Hernandez, with 3.42 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to Felix Hernandez's 169.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Felix Hernandez's 2,524.
- Who had the better WHIP? Felix Hernandez, with 1.21 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? CC Sabathia, with 3,577 to Felix Hernandez's 2,729.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to Felix Hernandez's 11.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Felix Hernandez, with 44,530 career Pitcher PIV to CC Sabathia's 43,212.
Felix Hernandez
CC Sabathia
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Felix Hernandez | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 169 | Leads: 251 |
| Losses | 136 | 161 |
| Games | 419 | Leads: 561 |
| Games Started | 418 | Leads: 560 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 38 |
| Shutouts | 11 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,524 | Leads: 3,093 |
| Walks | 805 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,487 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 264 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,729 | Leads: 3,577 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.42 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.21 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.32 | 7.78 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.65 | 2.76 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Felix Hernandez edges CC Sabathia 44,530 to 43,212 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,969 vs 2,161 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Felix Hernandez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Felix Hernandez leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while CC Sabathia owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Felix Hernandez. PIV agrees: Felix Hernandez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Felix Hernandez vs CC Sabathia: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Felix Hernandez or CC Sabathia?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, CC Sabathia leads Felix Hernandez in 7 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Felix Hernandez, with 3.42 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to Felix Hernandez's 169.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Felix Hernandez's 2,524.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Felix Hernandez, with 1.21 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.