Corey Kluber vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia 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). Corey Kluber played 2011–2023 as a pitcher; CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 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
Corey Kluber (2011–2023) and CC Sabathia (2001–2019) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Corey Kluber finished with 116 wins and 1,725 strikeouts; CC Sabathia finished with 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Corey Kluber, with 3.44 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to Corey Kluber's 116.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Corey Kluber's 1,725.
- Who had the better WHIP? Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? CC Sabathia, with 3,577.1 to Corey Kluber's 1,641.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to Corey Kluber's 8.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? CC Sabathia, with 43,212 career Pitcher PIV to Corey Kluber's 36,049.
Corey Kluber
CC Sabathia
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 2010s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Corey Kluber | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 116 | Leads: 251 |
| Losses not scored | 77 | 161 |
| Games | 271 | Leads: 561 |
| Games Started | 260 | Leads: 560 |
| Complete Games | 18 | Leads: 38 |
| Shutouts | 8 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,725 | Leads: 3,093 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,486 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 177 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,641.2 | Leads: 3,577.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.44 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.13 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.46 | 7.78 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), CC Sabathia leads Corey Kluber 43,212 to 36,049 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: CC Sabathia played 20 seasons to Corey Kluber's 13, while Corey Kluber carries the higher per-season figure (2,773 to 2,161). 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).
Corey Kluber — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, CC Sabathia leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Corey Kluber owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to CC Sabathia. PIV agrees: CC Sabathia grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Corey Kluber and CC Sabathia careers compare
The careers of Corey Kluber (2011–2023) and CC Sabathia (2001–2019) overlapped from 2011 to 2019, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. CC Sabathia has the far longer record, 561 games against 271 across 13 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. By rate, Corey Kluber struck out 9.46 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; CC Sabathia struck out 7.78 and walked 2.76. Corey Kluber was mainly a starter (260 starts in 271 games), and CC Sabathia was mainly a starter (560 starts in 561 games). In WHIP, Corey Kluber's 1.13 beats CC Sabathia's 1.26.
Corey Kluber vs CC Sabathia: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Corey Kluber or CC Sabathia?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, CC Sabathia leads Corey Kluber in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Corey Kluber, with 3.44 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to Corey Kluber's 116.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Corey Kluber's 1,725.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.