Pedro Martinez vs Cy Young: Career Stats Comparison
Cy Young 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). Pedro Martinez played 1992–2009 as a pitcher; Cy Young played 1890–1911 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
Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) and Cy Young (1890–1911) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pedro Martinez finished with 219 wins and 3,154 strikeouts; Cy Young finished with 511 wins and 2,803 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Cy Young, with 2.63 to Pedro Martinez's 2.93.
- Who won more games? Cy Young, with 511 to Pedro Martinez's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Cy Young's 2,803.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Cy Young's 1.13.
- Who pitched more innings? Cy Young, with 7,356.0 to Pedro Martinez's 2,827.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cy Young, with 76 to Pedro Martinez's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cy Young, with 141,398 career Pitcher PIV to Pedro Martinez's 113,314.
Pedro Martinez
Cy Young
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 1990s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pedro Martinez | Cy Young |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 219 | Leads: 511 |
| Losses not scored | 100 | 315 |
| Games | 476 | Leads: 906 |
| Games Started | 409 | Leads: 815 |
| Complete Games | 46 | Leads: 749 |
| Shutouts | 17 | Leads: 76 |
| Saves | 3 | Leads: 18 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,154 | 2,803 |
| Walks not scored | 760 | 1,217 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,221 | 7,092 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 138 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,827.1 | Leads: 7,356.0 |
| ERA | 2.93 | Leads: 2.63 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.05 | 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.04 | 3.43 |
| BB/9 | 2.42 | Leads: 1.49 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cy Young leads Pedro Martinez 141,398 to 113,314 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Cy Young played 23 seasons to Pedro Martinez's 18, while Pedro Martinez carries the higher per-season figure (6,295 to 6,148). 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).
Pedro Martinez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cy Young — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cy Young leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Pedro Martinez owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cy Young. PIV agrees: Cy Young grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pedro Martinez and Cy Young careers compare
Cy Young (1890–1911) was finished before Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) arrived, so they never shared a league. Cy Young has the far longer record, 906 games against 476 across 18 and 23 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Pedro Martinez's edges on the table are strikeouts (3,154 to 2,803), WHIP (1.05 to 1.13), and strikeouts per nine (10.04 to 3.43). By rate, Pedro Martinez struck out 10.04 and walked 2.42 per nine innings; Cy Young struck out 3.43 and walked 1.49. Pedro Martinez was mainly a starter (409 starts in 476 games), and Cy Young was mainly a starter (815 starts in 906 games).
Pedro Martinez vs Cy Young: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pedro Martinez or Cy Young?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cy Young leads Pedro Martinez in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cy Young, with 2.63 to Pedro Martinez's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- Cy Young, with 511 to Pedro Martinez's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Cy Young's 2,803.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Cy Young's 1.13.