Carl Hubbell vs Johan Santana: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Hubbell has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Johan Santana played 2000–2012 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 Johan Santana (2000–2012) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 strikeouts; Johan Santana finished with 139 wins and 1,988 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 Johan Santana's 3.20.
- Who won more games? Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Johan Santana's 139.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Johan Santana, with 1,988 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Johan Santana, with 1.13 to Carl Hubbell's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Carl Hubbell, with 3,590.1 to Johan Santana's 2,025.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Carl Hubbell, with 36 to Johan Santana's 10.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Carl Hubbell, with 54,753 career Pitcher PIV to Johan Santana's 48,732.
Carl Hubbell
Johan Santana
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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carl Hubbell | Johan Santana |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 253 | 139 |
| Losses not scored | 154 | 78 |
| Games | Leads: 535 | 360 |
| Games Started | Leads: 431 | 284 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 260 | 15 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 36 | 10 |
| Saves | Leads: 33 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,677 | Leads: 1,988 |
| Walks not scored | 725 | 567 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,461 | 1,726 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 227 | 220 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,590.1 | 2,025.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.98 | 3.20 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 4.20 | Leads: 8.83 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.82 | 2.52 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Hubbell leads Johan Santana 54,753 to 48,732 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Carl Hubbell played 16 seasons to Johan Santana's 12, while Johan Santana carries the higher per-season figure (4,061 to 3,422). 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)
Johan Santana — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Hubbell leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Johan Santana owns strikeouts, WHIP, 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 Johan Santana careers compare
Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) was finished before Johan Santana (2000–2012) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 535 games against 360 across 16 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Johan Santana's edges on the table are strikeouts (1,988 to 1,677), WHIP (1.13 to 1.17), and strikeouts per nine (8.83 to 4.20). By rate, Carl Hubbell struck out 4.20 and walked 1.82 per nine innings; Johan Santana struck out 8.83 and walked 2.52. Both had the same role: Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games); Johan Santana was mainly a starter (284 starts in 360 games).
Carl Hubbell vs Johan Santana: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carl Hubbell or Johan Santana?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Hubbell leads Johan Santana in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Johan Santana's 3.20.
- Who won more games?
- Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Johan Santana's 139.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Johan Santana, with 1,988 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Johan Santana, with 1.13 to Carl Hubbell's 1.17.