Jimmy Key vs Bret Saberhagen: Career Stats Comparison
Bret Saberhagen has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jimmy Key played 1984–1998 as a pitcher; Bret Saberhagen played 1984–2001 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
Jimmy Key (1984–1998) and Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jimmy Key finished with 186 wins and 1,538 strikeouts; Bret Saberhagen finished with 167 wins and 1,715 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bret Saberhagen, with 3.34 to Jimmy Key's 3.51.
- Who won more games? Jimmy Key, with 186 to Bret Saberhagen's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bret Saberhagen, with 1,715 to Jimmy Key's 1,538.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bret Saberhagen, with 1.14 to Jimmy Key's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Jimmy Key, with 2,591.2 to Bret Saberhagen's 2,562.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bret Saberhagen, with 16 to Jimmy Key's 13.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bret Saberhagen, with 53,065 career Pitcher PIV to Jimmy Key's 19,114.
Jimmy Key
Bret Saberhagen
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jimmy Key | Bret Saberhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 186 | 167 |
| Losses not scored | 117 | 117 |
| Games | Leads: 470 | 399 |
| Games Started | Leads: 389 | 371 |
| Complete Games | 34 | Leads: 76 |
| Shutouts | 13 | Leads: 16 |
| Saves | Leads: 10 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 1,538 | Leads: 1,715 |
| Walks not scored | 668 | 471 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,518 | 2,452 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 254 | 218 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,591.2 | 2,562.2 |
| ERA | 3.51 | Leads: 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 5.34 | Leads: 6.02 |
| BB/9 | 2.32 | Leads: 1.65 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bret Saberhagen outpaces Jimmy Key 53,065 to 19,114 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,122 PIV per season to 1,274, across 17 seasons to 15. 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).
Jimmy Key — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bret Saberhagen — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bret Saberhagen leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Jimmy Key owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bret Saberhagen. PIV agrees: Bret Saberhagen grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jimmy Key and Bret Saberhagen careers compare
From 1984 through 1998, Jimmy Key and Bret Saberhagen were in the majors together. With 470 games against 399 across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Jimmy Key struck out 5.34 and walked 2.32 per nine innings; Bret Saberhagen struck out 6.02 and walked 1.65. Both had the same role: Jimmy Key was mainly a starter (389 starts in 470 games); Bret Saberhagen was mainly a starter (371 starts in 399 games). In WHIP, Bret Saberhagen's 1.14 beats Jimmy Key's 1.23.
Jimmy Key vs Bret Saberhagen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jimmy Key or Bret Saberhagen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bret Saberhagen leads Jimmy Key in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 3.34 to Jimmy Key's 3.51.
- Who won more games?
- Jimmy Key, with 186 to Bret Saberhagen's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 1,715 to Jimmy Key's 1,538.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 1.14 to Jimmy Key's 1.23.