Sandy Koufax vs Blake Snell: Career Stats Comparison
Sandy Koufax has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 as a pitcher; Blake Snell has played 2016–present 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
Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) and Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games? Sandy Koufax, with 165 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Blake Snell's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Sandy Koufax, with 2,324.1 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sandy Koufax, with 40 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Sandy Koufax
Blake Snell
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 1950s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Sandy Koufax | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 165 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 397 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 314 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 137 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 9 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,396 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,324.1 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 3.10 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 9.28 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.16 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Blake Snell 63,020 to 27,494 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,252 PIV per season to 2,749, across 12 seasons to 10. 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).
Sandy Koufax — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sandy Koufax leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Blake Snell owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sandy Koufax. PIV agrees: Sandy Koufax grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Sandy Koufax and Blake Snell careers compare
Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) was finished before Blake Snell (2016–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Sandy Koufax appeared in 397 games to Blake Snell's 231. Where Blake Snell comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 9.28). The per-nine rows read 9.28 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Sandy Koufax, 11.21 and 4.03 for Blake Snell. Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games), and Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). The complete-game row, 137 against 1, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Blake Snell's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Sandy Koufax vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sandy Koufax or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sandy Koufax leads Blake Snell in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games?
- Sandy Koufax, with 165 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Blake Snell's 1.22.