Aaron Nola vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Aaron Nola has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Aaron Nola has played 2015–present as a pitcher; Zack Wheeler has played 2013–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
Aaron Nola (2015–present) and Zack Wheeler (2013–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Aaron Nola compiled 109 wins and 1,876 strikeouts; Zack Wheeler put up 113 wins and 1,820 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Zack Wheeler, with 3.28 to Aaron Nola's 3.83.
- Who won more games? Zack Wheeler, with 113 to Aaron Nola's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Aaron Nola, with 1,876 to Zack Wheeler's 1,820.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Wheeler, with 1.14 to Aaron Nola's 1.15.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Wheeler, with 1,728 to Aaron Nola's 1,715.
- Who threw more shutouts? Aaron Nola, with 4 to Zack Wheeler's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Wheeler, with 39,270 career Pitcher PIV to Aaron Nola's 31,635.
Aaron Nola
Zack Wheeler
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 | Aaron Nola | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 109 | Leads: 113 |
| Losses | 89 | 75 |
| Games | Leads: 285 | 283 |
| Games Started | Leads: 285 | 283 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 6 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 3 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,876 | 1,820 |
| Walks | 449 | 490 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,522 | 1,475 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 217 | 166 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,715 | Leads: 1,728 |
| ERA | 3.83 | Leads: 3.28 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.84 | 9.48 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.36 | 2.55 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheeler leads Aaron Nola 39,270 to 31,635 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,570 vs 2,876 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).
Aaron Nola — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Zack Wheeler — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Wheeler leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Aaron Nola owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Wheeler. PIV agrees: Zack Wheeler grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Aaron Nola vs Zack Wheeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Aaron Nola or Zack Wheeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Aaron Nola leads Zack Wheeler in 7 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Wheeler, with 3.28 to Aaron Nola's 3.83.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Wheeler, with 113 to Aaron Nola's 109.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Aaron Nola, with 1,876 to Zack Wheeler's 1,820.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Wheeler, with 1.14 to Aaron Nola's 1.15.