Carl Hubbell vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Hubbell has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Carl Hubbell played 1928–1943 as a pitcher; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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
Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Hal Newhouser's 3.06.
- Who won more games? Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Carl Hubbell, with 3,590.1 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Carl Hubbell, with 36 to Hal Newhouser's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Carl Hubbell, with 54,753 career Pitcher PIV to Hal Newhouser's 43,492.
Carl Hubbell
Hal Newhouser
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 1920s and the 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carl Hubbell | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 253 | 207 |
| Losses not scored | 154 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 535 | 488 |
| Games Started | Leads: 431 | 374 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 260 | 212 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 36 | 33 |
| Saves | Leads: 33 | 26 |
| Strikeouts | 1,677 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 725 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,461 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 227 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,590.1 | 2,993.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.98 | 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 4.20 | Leads: 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.82 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Hubbell leads Hal Newhouser 54,753 to 43,492 — driven by per-season impact — 3,422 PIV per season to 2,558 — rather than by longevity, since Carl Hubbell played 16 seasons to Hal Newhouser'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).
Carl Hubbell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Hubbell leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Hal Newhouser owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Hubbell. PIV agrees: Carl Hubbell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carl Hubbell and Hal Newhouser careers compare
From 1939 through 1943, Carl Hubbell and Hal Newhouser were in the majors together. With 535 games against 488 across 16 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Hal Newhouser are strikeouts (1,796 to 1,677) and strikeouts per nine (5.40 to 4.20). The per-nine rows read 4.20 strikeouts and 1.82 walks for Carl Hubbell, 5.40 and 3.76 for Hal Newhouser. Both had the same role: Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games); Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games). Carl Hubbell allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.17 WHIP to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
Carl Hubbell vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carl Hubbell or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Hubbell leads Hal Newhouser in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Hal Newhouser's 3.06.
- Who won more games?
- Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.