Carl Hubbell vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Warren Spahn has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Warren Spahn played 1942–1965 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 Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 strikeouts; Warren Spahn finished with 363 wins and 2,583 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 Warren Spahn's 3.09.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Carl Hubbell's 253.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Warren Spahn, with 5,243.2 to Carl Hubbell's 3,590.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Carl Hubbell's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Warren Spahn, with 63,558 career Pitcher PIV to Carl Hubbell's 54,753.
Carl Hubbell
Warren Spahn
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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carl Hubbell | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 253 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 154 | 245 |
| Games | 535 | Leads: 750 |
| Games Started | 431 | Leads: 665 |
| Complete Games | 260 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 36 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves | Leads: 33 | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 1,677 | Leads: 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 725 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,461 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 227 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,590.1 | Leads: 5,243.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.98 | 3.09 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | 4.20 | Leads: 4.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.82 | 2.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Warren Spahn leads Carl Hubbell 63,558 to 54,753 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Warren Spahn played 22 seasons to Carl Hubbell's 16, while Carl Hubbell carries the higher per-season figure (3,422 to 2,889). 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)
Warren Spahn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Warren Spahn leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Carl Hubbell owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Warren Spahn. PIV agrees: Warren Spahn 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 Warren Spahn careers compare
The careers of Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) and Warren Spahn (1942–1965) overlapped from 1942 to 1943, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 535 games against 750 across 16 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Carl Hubbell's edges on the table are saves (33 to 29), ERA (2.98 to 3.09), and WHIP (1.17 to 1.19). The per-nine rows read 4.20 strikeouts and 1.82 walks for Carl Hubbell, 4.43 and 2.46 for Warren Spahn. Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games), and Warren Spahn was mainly a starter (665 starts in 750 games).
Carl Hubbell vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carl Hubbell or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Warren Spahn leads Carl Hubbell in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Warren Spahn's 3.09.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Carl Hubbell's 253.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.