Phil Niekro vs Blake Snell: 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; Blake Snell has played 2016–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
Phil Niekro (1964–1987) and Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Phil Niekro finished with 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games? Phil Niekro, with 318 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Blake Snell, with 1.22 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Phil Niekro, with 5,404.1 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Phil Niekro, with 45 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Blake Snell, with 27,494 career Pitcher PIV to Phil Niekro's 13,102.
Phil Niekro
Blake Snell
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Phil Niekro | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 318 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 274 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 864 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 716 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 245 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 45 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,342 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 1,809 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 5,044 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 482 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,404.1 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | 3.35 | Leads: 3.10 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.22 |
| K/9 | 5.57 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.01 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Blake Snell outpaces Phil Niekro 27,494 to 13,102 — driven by per-season impact — 2,749 PIV per season to 504 — rather than by longevity, since Blake Snell played 10 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)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Blake Snell leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Phil Niekro owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Blake Snell. PIV agrees: Blake Snell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Phil Niekro and Blake Snell careers compare
No season is shared: Phil Niekro played 1964–1987, Blake Snell 2016–present. The table compares 864 games of Phil Niekro with 231 of Blake Snell across 26 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Blake Snell are ERA (3.10 to 3.35), WHIP (1.22 to 1.27), and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 5.57). By rate, Phil Niekro struck out 5.57 and walked 3.01 per nine innings; Blake Snell struck out 11.21 and walked 4.03. Both had the same role: Phil Niekro was mainly a starter (716 starts in 864 games); Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Blake Snell's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Phil Niekro vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Phil Niekro or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Phil Niekro leads Blake Snell in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games?
- Phil Niekro, with 318 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Blake Snell, with 1.22 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.