Christy Mathewson vs Cy Young: Career Stats Comparison
Cy Young has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 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
Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) and Cy Young (1890–1911) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Christy Mathewson compiled 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts; Cy Young put up 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? Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Cy Young's 2.63.
- Who won more games? Cy Young, with 511 to Christy Mathewson's 373.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cy Young, with 2,803 to Christy Mathewson's 2,507.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Cy Young's 1.13.
- Who pitched more innings? Cy Young, with 7,356 to Christy Mathewson's 4,788.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Cy Young's 76.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cy Young, with 141,398 career Pitcher PIV to Christy Mathewson's 82,446.
Christy Mathewson
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Christy Mathewson | Cy Young |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 373 | Leads: 511 |
| Losses | 188 | 315 |
| Games | 636 | Leads: 906 |
| Games Started | 552 | Leads: 815 |
| Complete Games | 435 | Leads: 749 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 79 | 76 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 18 |
| Strikeouts | 2,507 | Leads: 2,803 |
| Walks | 848 | 1,217 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,219 | 7,092 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 90 | 138 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,788 | Leads: 7,356 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.13 | 2.63 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.71 | 3.43 |
| BB/9 | 1.59 | Leads: 1.49 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cy Young outpaces Christy Mathewson 141,398 to 82,446 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (6,148 vs 4,580 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Christy Mathewson — 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, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Christy Mathewson owns ERA, 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
Christy Mathewson vs Cy Young: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Christy Mathewson or Cy Young?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cy Young leads Christy Mathewson in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Cy Young's 2.63.
- Who won more games?
- Cy Young, with 511 to Christy Mathewson's 373.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cy Young, with 2,803 to Christy Mathewson's 2,507.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Cy Young's 1.13.