Phil Niekro vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
Phil Niekro 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). Phil Niekro played 1964–1987 as a pitcher; CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 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
Phil Niekro (1964–1987) and CC Sabathia (2001–2019) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Phil Niekro finished with 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts; CC Sabathia finished with 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Phil Niekro, with 3.35 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Phil Niekro, with 318 to CC Sabathia's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to CC Sabathia's 3,093.
- Who had the better WHIP? CC Sabathia, with 1.26 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Phil Niekro, with 5,404.1 to CC Sabathia's 3,577.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Phil Niekro, with 45 to CC Sabathia's 12.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? CC Sabathia, with 43,212 career Pitcher PIV to Phil Niekro's 13,102.
Phil Niekro
CC Sabathia
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 1960s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Phil Niekro | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 318 | 251 |
| Losses not scored | 274 | 161 |
| Games | Leads: 864 | 561 |
| Games Started | Leads: 716 | 560 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 245 | 38 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 45 | 12 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,342 | 3,093 |
| Walks not scored | 1,809 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 5,044 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 482 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,404.1 | 3,577.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.35 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | 5.57 | Leads: 7.78 |
| BB/9 | 3.01 | Leads: 2.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), CC Sabathia outpaces Phil Niekro 43,212 to 13,102 — driven by per-season impact — 2,161 PIV per season to 504 — rather than by longevity, since CC Sabathia played 20 seasons to Phil Niekro's 26. 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).
Phil Niekro — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Phil Niekro leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while CC Sabathia owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Phil Niekro. Note that PIV actually grades CC Sabathia ahead, which means Phil Niekro's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Phil Niekro and CC Sabathia careers compare
Phil Niekro (1964–1987) was finished before CC Sabathia (2001–2019) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Phil Niekro appeared in 864 games to CC Sabathia's 561. CC Sabathia's edges on the table are WHIP (1.26 to 1.27), strikeouts per nine (7.78 to 5.57), and walks per nine (2.76 to 3.01). By rate, Phil Niekro struck out 5.57 and walked 3.01 per nine innings; CC Sabathia struck out 7.78 and walked 2.76. Both had the same role: Phil Niekro was mainly a starter (716 starts in 864 games); CC Sabathia was mainly a starter (560 starts in 561 games).
Phil Niekro vs CC Sabathia: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Phil Niekro or CC Sabathia?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Phil Niekro leads CC Sabathia in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Phil Niekro, with 3.35 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Phil Niekro, with 318 to CC Sabathia's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to CC Sabathia's 3,093.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- CC Sabathia, with 1.26 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.