Satchel Paige vs Blake Snell: Career Stats Comparison
Satchel Paige has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Satchel Paige played 1948–1965 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
Satchel Paige (1948–1965) and Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Satchel Paige finished with 143 wins and 1,695 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? Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games? Satchel Paige, with 143 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Blake Snell's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Satchel Paige, with 1,962.2 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Satchel Paige, with 28 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Satchel Paige, with 77,694 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Satchel Paige
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 1940s 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 | Satchel Paige | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 143 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 438 | 231 |
| Games Started | 226 | Leads: 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 116 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 28 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 47 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,695 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 533 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,647 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 66 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,962.2 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.77 | 3.10 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 7.77 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.44 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Satchel Paige outpaces Blake Snell 77,694 to 27,494 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,775 PIV per season to 2,749, across 28 seasons to 10. 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).
Satchel Paige — 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, Satchel Paige leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Blake Snell owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Satchel Paige. PIV agrees: Satchel Paige grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Satchel Paige and Blake Snell careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Satchel Paige's ended in 1965, and Blake Snell debuted in 2016. The table compares 438 games of Satchel Paige with 231 of Blake Snell across 28 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Blake Snell are starts (231 to 226) and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 7.77). The per-nine rows read 7.77 strikeouts and 2.44 walks for Satchel Paige, 11.21 and 4.03 for Blake Snell. Their roles differ: Satchel Paige split time between starting and relief (226 starts in 438 games); Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Because Blake Snell is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Satchel Paige vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Satchel Paige or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Satchel Paige leads Blake Snell in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Satchel Paige, with 2.77 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games?
- Satchel Paige, with 143 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Satchel Paige, with 1,695 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Satchel Paige, with 1.11 to Blake Snell's 1.22.