CC Sabathia vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. CC Sabathia played 2001–2019 as a pitcher; Chris Sale has played 2010–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
CC Sabathia (2001–2019) and Chris Sale (2010–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. CC Sabathia compiled 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts; Chris Sale put up 145 wins and 2,579 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 3.01 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to Chris Sale's 145.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Chris Sale's 2,579.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.05 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? CC Sabathia, with 3,577 to Chris Sale's 2,084.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to Chris Sale's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Sale, with 65,834 career Pitcher PIV to CC Sabathia's 43,212.
CC Sabathia
Chris Sale
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 | CC Sabathia | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 145 |
| Losses | 161 | 88 |
| Games | Leads: 561 | 393 |
| Games Started | Leads: 560 | 312 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 38 | 16 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 3 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 12 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,093 | 2,579 |
| Walks | 1,099 | 487 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,404 | 1,692 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 382 | 213 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,577 | 2,084 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.01 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.05 |
| K/9 | 7.78 | Leads: 11.14 |
| BB/9 | 2.76 | Leads: 2.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces CC Sabathia 65,834 to 43,212 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,389 vs 2,161 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).
CC Sabathia — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Chris Sale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chris Sale leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while CC Sabathia owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chris Sale. PIV agrees: Chris Sale grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
CC Sabathia vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, CC Sabathia or Chris Sale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, CC Sabathia leads Chris Sale in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 3.01 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to Chris Sale's 145.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Chris Sale's 2,579.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.05 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.