Joe McGinnity vs Paul Skenes: Career Stats Comparison
Joe McGinnity 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). Joe McGinnity played 1899–1908 as a pitcher; Paul Skenes has played 2024–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
Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) and Paul Skenes (2024–present) — breaking in during the 1890s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Joe McGinnity finished with 246 wins and 1,068 strikeouts; Paul Skenes has 31 wins and 586 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games? Joe McGinnity, with 246 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Joe McGinnity, with 1,068 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Joe McGinnity, with 3,441.1 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Joe McGinnity, with 32 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Paul Skenes, with 14,331 career Pitcher PIV to Joe McGinnity's 3,283.
Joe McGinnity
Paul Skenes
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 1890s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Skenes is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Joe McGinnity | Paul Skenes |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 246 | 31 |
| Losses not scored | 142 | 24 |
| Games | Leads: 465 | 87 |
| Games Started | Leads: 381 | 87 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 314 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 32 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 24 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,068 | 586 |
| Walks not scored | 812 | 123 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,276 | 376 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 52 | 41 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,441.1 | 495.0 |
| ERA | 2.66 | Leads: 2.62 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 2.79 | Leads: 10.65 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.12 | 2.24 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Skenes outpaces Joe McGinnity 14,331 to 3,283 — driven by per-season impact — 7,166 PIV per season to 298 — rather than by longevity, since Paul Skenes played 2 seasons to Joe McGinnity's 11. 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).
Joe McGinnity — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Paul Skenes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Skenes leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Joe McGinnity owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Skenes. PIV agrees: Paul Skenes grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe McGinnity and Paul Skenes careers compare
Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) was finished before Paul Skenes (2024–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 465 games of Joe McGinnity with 87 of Paul Skenes across 11 and 2 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Paul Skenes's edges on the table are ERA (2.62 to 2.66), WHIP (1.01 to 1.19), and strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 2.79). By rate, Joe McGinnity struck out 2.79 and walked 2.12 per nine innings; Paul Skenes struck out 10.65 and walked 2.24. Both had the same role: Joe McGinnity was mainly a starter (381 starts in 465 games); Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games). Paul Skenes's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Joe McGinnity vs Paul Skenes: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe McGinnity or Paul Skenes?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Joe McGinnity leads Paul Skenes in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games?
- Joe McGinnity, with 246 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Joe McGinnity, with 1,068 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.