Felix Hernandez vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
Felix Hernandez and Chris Sale are close to even, splitting the 12 statistical categories compared on this page 6–6. Felix Hernandez played 2005–2019 as a pitcher; Chris Sale has played 2010–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
Felix Hernandez (2005–2019) and Chris Sale (2010–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Felix Hernandez compiled 169 wins and 2,524 strikeouts; Chris Sale put up 145 wins and 2,579 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 3.01 to Felix Hernandez's 3.42.
- Who won more games? Felix Hernandez, with 169 to Chris Sale's 145.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,579 to Felix Hernandez's 2,524.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.05 to Felix Hernandez's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Felix Hernandez, with 2,729 to Chris Sale's 2,084.
- Who threw more shutouts? Felix Hernandez, with 11 to Chris Sale's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Sale, with 65,834 career Pitcher PIV to Felix Hernandez's 44,530.
Felix Hernandez
Chris Sale
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 | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 169 | 145 |
| Losses | 136 | 88 |
| Games | Leads: 419 | 393 |
| Games Started | Leads: 418 | 312 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 25 | 16 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 11 | 3 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 12 |
| Strikeouts | 2,524 | Leads: 2,579 |
| Walks | 805 | 487 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,487 | 1,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 264 | 213 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,729 | 2,084 |
| ERA | 3.42 | Leads: 3.01 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.05 |
| K/9 | 8.32 | Leads: 11.14 |
| BB/9 | 2.65 | Leads: 2.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces Felix Hernandez 65,834 to 44,530 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,389 vs 2,969 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)
Chris Sale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chris Sale leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Felix Hernandez owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chris Sale. PIV agrees: Chris Sale grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Felix Hernandez vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 3.01 to Felix Hernandez's 3.42.
- Who won more games?
- Felix Hernandez, with 169 to Chris Sale's 145.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,579 to Felix Hernandez's 2,524.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.05 to Felix Hernandez's 1.21.