Aaron Nola vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Aaron Nola has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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 debuted in the 2010s. Aaron Nola has 116 wins and 2,053 strikeouts through the 2026 season; Zack Wheeler has 127 wins and 2,013 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Aaron Nola, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to Aaron Nola's 3.91.
- Who won more games? Zack Wheeler, with 127 to Aaron Nola's 116.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Aaron Nola, with 2,053 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Aaron Nola's 1.17.
- How many innings did each pitch? Aaron Nola 1,891.0, Zack Wheeler 1,890.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Aaron Nola, with 4 to Zack Wheeler's 3.
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Aaron Nola | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 116 | Leads: 127 |
| Losses not scored | 101 | 80 |
| Games not scored | 318 | 311 |
| Games Started not scored | 318 | 311 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 6 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 3 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,053 | 2,013 |
| Walks not scored | 508 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,699 | 1,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 254 | 187 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,891.0 | 1,890.1 |
| ERA | 3.91 | Leads: 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.77 | 9.58 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.42 | 2.56 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Wheeler outpaces Aaron Nola 42,747 to 28,609 — driven by per-season impact — 3,562 PIV per season to 2,384 — rather than by longevity, since Zack Wheeler played 12 seasons to Aaron Nola's 12. 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
Aaron Nola leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, strikeouts per nine, and others. Zack Wheeler leads 3: wins, ERA, and WHIP. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Aaron Nola. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Zack Wheeler higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler careers compare
The two careers overlap from 2015 on, with both players still active. The two careers are close in length, 318 games for Aaron Nola and 311 for Zack Wheeler across 12 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Zack Wheeler are wins (127 to 116), ERA (3.26 to 3.91), and WHIP (1.13 to 1.17). The per-nine rows read 9.77 strikeouts and 2.42 walks for Aaron Nola, 9.58 and 2.56 for Zack Wheeler. Both had the same role: Aaron Nola was mainly a starter (318 starts in 318 games); Zack Wheeler was mainly a starter (311 starts in 311 games). Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler's totals run through the 2026 season.
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 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to Aaron Nola's 3.91.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Wheeler, with 127 to Aaron Nola's 116.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Aaron Nola, with 2,053 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Aaron Nola's 1.17.