Robin Roberts vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Robin Roberts 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). Robin Roberts played 1948–1966 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
Robin Roberts (1948–1966) and Zack Wheeler (2013–present) — breaking in during the 1940s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Robin Roberts finished with 286 wins and 2,357 strikeouts; Zack Wheeler has 127 wins and 2,013 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to Robin Roberts's 3.41.
- Who won more games? Robin Roberts, with 286 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Robin Roberts, with 2,357 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Robin Roberts's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Robin Roberts, with 4,688.2 to Zack Wheeler's 1,890.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Robin Roberts, with 45 to Zack Wheeler's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Robin Roberts, with 49,794 career Pitcher PIV to Zack Wheeler's 39,270.
Robin Roberts
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. 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.
Zack Wheeler is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Robin Roberts | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 286 | 127 |
| Losses not scored | 245 | 80 |
| Games | Leads: 676 | 311 |
| Games Started | Leads: 609 | 311 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 305 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 45 | 3 |
| Saves | Leads: 25 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,357 | 2,013 |
| Walks not scored | 902 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,582 | 1,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 505 | 187 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,688.2 | 1,890.1 |
| ERA | 3.41 | Leads: 3.26 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 4.52 | Leads: 9.58 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.73 | 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Robin Roberts leads Zack Wheeler 49,794 to 39,270 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Robin Roberts played 21 seasons to Zack Wheeler's 11, while Zack Wheeler carries the higher per-season figure (3,570 to 2,371). 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).
Robin Roberts — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Zack Wheeler — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Robin Roberts leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Zack Wheeler owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Robin Roberts. PIV agrees: Robin Roberts grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Robin Roberts and Zack Wheeler careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Robin Roberts's ended in 1966, and Zack Wheeler debuted in 2013. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Robin Roberts appeared in 676 games to Zack Wheeler's 311. The green cells for Zack Wheeler are ERA (3.26 to 3.41), WHIP (1.13 to 1.17), and strikeouts per nine (9.58 to 4.52). The per-nine rows read 4.52 strikeouts and 1.73 walks for Robin Roberts, 9.58 and 2.56 for Zack Wheeler. Both had the same role: Robin Roberts was mainly a starter (609 starts in 676 games); Zack Wheeler was mainly a starter (311 starts in 311 games). Because Zack Wheeler is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Robin Roberts vs Zack Wheeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robin Roberts or Zack Wheeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Robin Roberts leads Zack Wheeler in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Wheeler, with 3.26 to Robin Roberts's 3.41.
- Who won more games?
- Robin Roberts, with 286 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Robin Roberts, with 2,357 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Wheeler, with 1.13 to Robin Roberts's 1.17.