Felix Hernandez vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 2010s respectively and share 10 seasons. Felix Hernandez finished with 169 wins and 2,524 strikeouts; Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Chris Sale, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Felix Hernandez's 3.42.
- Who won more games? Felix Hernandez, with 169 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Felix Hernandez's 2,524.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Felix Hernandez's 1.21.
- How many innings did each pitch? Felix Hernandez 2,729.2, Chris Sale 2,246.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Felix Hernandez, with 11 to Chris Sale's 4.
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Felix Hernandez | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 169 | 159 |
| Losses not scored | 136 | 97 |
| Games not scored | 419 | 420 |
| Games Started not scored | 418 | 339 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 25 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 11 | 4 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 12 |
| Strikeouts | 2,524 | Leads: 2,779 |
| Walks not scored | 805 | 518 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,487 | 1,821 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 264 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,729.2 | 2,246.2 |
| ERA | 3.42 | Leads: 2.95 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 8.32 | Leads: 11.13 |
| BB/9 | 2.65 | Leads: 2.08 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces Felix Hernandez 73,774 to 44,530 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,611 PIV per season to 2,969, across 16 seasons to 15. 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
Chris Sale leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. Felix Hernandez leads 3: wins, complete games, and shutouts. 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
How the Felix Hernandez and Chris Sale careers compare
From 2010 through 2019, Felix Hernandez and Chris Sale were in the majors together. With 419 games against 420 across 15 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Felix Hernandez's edges on the table are wins (169 to 159), complete games (25 to 17), and shutouts (11 to 4). The per-nine rows read 8.32 strikeouts and 2.65 walks for Felix Hernandez, 11.13 and 2.08 for Chris Sale. Felix Hernandez was mainly a starter (418 starts in 419 games), and Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games). Chris Sale allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to Felix Hernandez's 1.21. Chris Sale's totals run through the 2026 season.
Felix Hernandez vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Felix Hernandez or Chris Sale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Sale leads Felix Hernandez in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Felix Hernandez's 3.42.
- Who won more games?
- Felix Hernandez, with 169 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Felix Hernandez's 2,524.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Felix Hernandez's 1.21.