Satchel Paige vs Ed Walsh: Career Stats Comparison
Ed Walsh 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). Satchel Paige played 1948–1965 as a pitcher; Ed Walsh played 1904–1917 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 Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Satchel Paige finished with 143 wins and 1,695 strikeouts; Ed Walsh finished with 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Satchel Paige's 2.77.
- Who won more games? Ed Walsh, with 195 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Ed Walsh, with 1,736 to Satchel Paige's 1,695.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Satchel Paige's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Ed Walsh, with 2,964.1 to Satchel Paige's 1,962.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ed Walsh, with 57 to Satchel Paige's 28.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Satchel Paige, with 77,694 career Pitcher PIV to Ed Walsh's 62,631.
Satchel Paige
Ed Walsh
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 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Satchel Paige | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 143 | Leads: 195 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 438 | 430 |
| Games Started | 226 | Leads: 315 |
| Complete Games | 116 | Leads: 250 |
| Shutouts | 28 | Leads: 57 |
| Saves | Leads: 47 | 35 |
| Strikeouts | 1,695 | Leads: 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 533 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,647 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 66 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,962.2 | Leads: 2,964.1 |
| ERA | 2.77 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.77 | 5.27 |
| BB/9 | 2.44 | Leads: 1.87 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Satchel Paige leads Ed Walsh 77,694 to 62,631 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Satchel Paige played 28 seasons to Ed Walsh's 14, while Ed Walsh carries the higher per-season figure (4,474 to 2,775). 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)
Ed Walsh — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ed Walsh leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Satchel Paige owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ed Walsh. Note that PIV actually grades Satchel Paige ahead, which means Ed Walsh's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Satchel Paige and Ed Walsh careers compare
No season is shared: Ed Walsh played 1904–1917, Satchel Paige 1948–1965. With 438 games against 430 across 28 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Satchel Paige are games (438 to 430), saves (47 to 35), and strikeouts per nine (7.77 to 5.27). By rate, Satchel Paige struck out 7.77 and walked 2.44 per nine innings; Ed Walsh struck out 5.27 and walked 1.87. Their roles differ: Satchel Paige split time between starting and relief (226 starts in 438 games); Ed Walsh was mainly a starter (315 starts in 430 games). In WHIP, Ed Walsh's 1.00 beats Satchel Paige's 1.11.
Satchel Paige vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Satchel Paige or Ed Walsh?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ed Walsh leads Satchel Paige in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Satchel Paige's 2.77.
- Who won more games?
- Ed Walsh, with 195 to Satchel Paige's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Ed Walsh, with 1,736 to Satchel Paige's 1,695.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Satchel Paige's 1.11.