David Price vs CC Sabathia: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. David Price played 2008–2022 as a pitcher; CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 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
David Price (2008–2022) and CC Sabathia (2001–2019) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. David Price compiled 157 wins and 2,076 strikeouts; CC Sabathia put up 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? David Price, with 3.32 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to David Price's 157.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to David Price's 2,076.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Price, with 1.16 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? CC Sabathia, with 3,577 to David Price's 2,143.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to David Price's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? CC Sabathia, with 43,212 career Pitcher PIV to David Price's 36,995.
David Price
CC Sabathia
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 | David Price | CC Sabathia |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 157 | Leads: 251 |
| Losses | 82 | 161 |
| Games | 400 | Leads: 561 |
| Games Started | 322 | Leads: 560 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 38 |
| Shutouts | 3 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | Leads: 3 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,076 | Leads: 3,093 |
| Walks | 562 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,930 | 3,404 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 221 | 382 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,143 | Leads: 3,577 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.32 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.16 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.72 | 7.78 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.36 | 2.76 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), CC Sabathia leads David Price 43,212 to 36,995 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,161 vs 2,312 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).
David Price — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, CC Sabathia leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while David Price owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to CC Sabathia. PIV agrees: CC Sabathia grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
David Price vs CC Sabathia: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Price or CC Sabathia?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, CC Sabathia leads David Price in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Price, with 3.32 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to David Price's 157.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to David Price's 2,076.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Price, with 1.16 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.