Don Newcombe vs Tarik Skubal: Career Stats Comparison
Don Newcombe has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Don Newcombe played 1949–1960 as a pitcher; Tarik Skubal has played 2020–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
Don Newcombe (1949–1960) and Tarik Skubal (2020–present) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Don Newcombe finished with 153 wins and 1,185 strikeouts; Tarik Skubal has 66 wins and 1,075 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Don Newcombe's 3.57.
- Who won more games? Don Newcombe, with 153 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Newcombe, with 1,185 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Don Newcombe's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Don Newcombe, with 2,247.0 to Tarik Skubal's 925.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Newcombe, with 24 to Tarik Skubal's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tarik Skubal, with 20,288 career Pitcher PIV to Don Newcombe's 20,184.
Don Newcombe
Tarik Skubal
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 1940s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Tarik Skubal is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Don Newcombe | Tarik Skubal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 153 | 66 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 44 |
| Games | Leads: 359 | 163 |
| Games Started | Leads: 305 | 160 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 145 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 24 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 7 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,185 | 1,075 |
| Walks not scored | 528 | 199 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,185 | 740 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 255 | 104 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,247.0 | 925.1 |
| ERA | 3.57 | Leads: 3.02 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 4.75 | Leads: 10.46 |
| BB/9 | 2.11 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tarik Skubal edges Don Newcombe 20,288 to 20,184 — driven by per-season impact — 3,381 PIV per season to 1,442 — rather than by longevity, since Tarik Skubal played 6 seasons to Don Newcombe's 14. 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).
Don Newcombe — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tarik Skubal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tarik Skubal leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Don Newcombe owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tarik Skubal. PIV agrees: Tarik Skubal grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Newcombe and Tarik Skubal careers compare
No season is shared: Don Newcombe played 1949–1960, Tarik Skubal 2020–present. The table compares 359 games of Don Newcombe with 163 of Tarik Skubal across 14 and 6 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Tarik Skubal's edges on the table are ERA (3.02 to 3.57), WHIP (1.01 to 1.21), and strikeouts per nine (10.46 to 4.75). By rate, Don Newcombe struck out 4.75 and walked 2.11 per nine innings; Tarik Skubal struck out 10.46 and walked 1.94. Both had the same role: Don Newcombe was mainly a starter (305 starts in 359 games); Tarik Skubal was mainly a starter (160 starts in 163 games). Tarik Skubal's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Don Newcombe vs Tarik Skubal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Newcombe or Tarik Skubal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Newcombe leads Tarik Skubal in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Don Newcombe's 3.57.
- Who won more games?
- Don Newcombe, with 153 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Newcombe, with 1,185 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Don Newcombe's 1.21.