Red Ruffing vs Tarik Skubal: Career Stats Comparison
Red Ruffing has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Red Ruffing played 1924–1947 as a pitcher; Tarik Skubal has played 2020–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
Red Ruffing (1924–1947) and Tarik Skubal (2020–present) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Red Ruffing finished with 273 wins and 1,987 strikeouts; Tarik Skubal has 66 wins and 1,075 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games? Red Ruffing, with 273 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Red Ruffing, with 1,987 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Red Ruffing, with 4,344.0 to Tarik Skubal's 925.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Red Ruffing, with 45 to Tarik Skubal's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tarik Skubal, with 20,288 career Pitcher PIV to Red Ruffing's 17,432.
Red Ruffing
Tarik Skubal
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 1920s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Tarik Skubal is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Red Ruffing | Tarik Skubal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 273 | 66 |
| Losses not scored | 225 | 44 |
| Games | Leads: 624 | 163 |
| Games Started | Leads: 536 | 160 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 335 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 45 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 16 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,987 | 1,075 |
| Walks not scored | 1,541 | 199 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,284 | 740 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 254 | 104 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,344.0 | 925.1 |
| ERA | 3.80 | Leads: 3.02 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 4.12 | Leads: 10.46 |
| BB/9 | 3.19 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tarik Skubal leads Red Ruffing 20,288 to 17,432 — driven by per-season impact — 3,381 PIV per season to 758 — rather than by longevity, since Tarik Skubal played 6 seasons to Red Ruffing's 23. 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).
Red Ruffing — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tarik Skubal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tarik Skubal leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Red Ruffing owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tarik Skubal. PIV agrees: Tarik Skubal grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Red Ruffing and Tarik Skubal careers compare
No season is shared: Red Ruffing played 1924–1947, Tarik Skubal 2020–present. The table compares 624 games of Red Ruffing with 163 of Tarik Skubal across 23 and 6 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Tarik Skubal's edges on the table are ERA (3.02 to 3.80), WHIP (1.01 to 1.34), and strikeouts per nine (10.46 to 4.12). By rate, Red Ruffing struck out 4.12 and walked 3.19 per nine innings; Tarik Skubal struck out 10.46 and walked 1.94. Red Ruffing was mainly a starter (536 starts in 624 games), and Tarik Skubal was mainly a starter (160 starts in 163 games). Because Tarik Skubal is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Red Ruffing vs Tarik Skubal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Red Ruffing or Tarik Skubal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Red Ruffing leads Tarik Skubal in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games?
- Red Ruffing, with 273 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Red Ruffing, with 1,987 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.