David Price vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
David Price 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). David Price played 2008–2022 as a pitcher; Stephen Strasburg played 2010–2022 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 Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 2010s respectively and share 13 seasons. David Price finished with 157 wins and 2,076 strikeouts; Stephen Strasburg finished with 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? David Price, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to David Price's 3.32.
- Who won more games? David Price, with 157 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Price, with 2,076 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to David Price's 1.16.
- How many innings did each pitch? David Price 2,143.2, Stephen Strasburg 1,470.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? David Price, with 3 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
David Price
Stephen Strasburg
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 | David Price | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 157 | 113 |
| Losses not scored | 82 | 62 |
| Games not scored | 400 | 247 |
| Games Started not scored | 322 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 3 | 2 |
| Saves not scored | 3 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,076 | 1,723 |
| Walks not scored | 562 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,930 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 221 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,143.2 | 1,470.0 |
| ERA | 3.32 | Leads: 3.24 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 8.72 | Leads: 10.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.36 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Stephen Strasburg leads David Price 41,364 to 36,995 — driven by per-season impact — 3,182 PIV per season to 2,643 — rather than by longevity, since Stephen Strasburg played 13 seasons to David Price's 14. 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)
Stephen Strasburg — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
David Price leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Stephen Strasburg leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Price. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Stephen Strasburg higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the David Price and Stephen Strasburg careers compare
David Price and Stephen Strasburg were active at the same time between 2010 and 2022. The table compares 400 games of David Price with 247 of Stephen Strasburg across 14 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Stephen Strasburg are ERA (3.24 to 3.32), WHIP (1.10 to 1.16), and strikeouts per nine (10.55 to 8.72). By rate, David Price struck out 8.72 and walked 2.36 per nine innings; Stephen Strasburg struck out 10.55 and walked 2.41. David Price was mainly a starter (322 starts in 400 games), and Stephen Strasburg was mainly a starter (247 starts in 247 games).
David Price vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Price or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Price leads Stephen Strasburg in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to David Price's 3.32.
- Who won more games?
- David Price, with 157 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Price, with 2,076 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to David Price's 1.16.