CC Sabathia vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia and Chris Sale are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 2010s respectively and share 10 seasons. CC Sabathia finished with 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts; Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 2.95 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- How many innings did each pitch? CC Sabathia 3,577.1, Chris Sale 2,246.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to Chris Sale's 4.
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. 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 | CC Sabathia | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 159 |
| Losses not scored | 161 | 97 |
| Games not scored | 561 | 420 |
| Games Started not scored | 560 | 339 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 38 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 4 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 12 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,093 | 2,779 |
| Walks not scored | 1,099 | 518 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,404 | 1,821 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 382 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,577.1 | 2,246.2 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 2.95 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 7.78 | Leads: 11.13 |
| BB/9 | 2.76 | Leads: 2.08 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces CC Sabathia 73,774 to 43,212 — driven by per-season impact — 4,611 PIV per season to 2,274 — rather than by longevity, since Chris Sale played 16 seasons to CC Sabathia's 19. 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
CC Sabathia and Chris Sale split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Chris Sale higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the CC Sabathia and Chris Sale careers compare
From 2010 through 2019, CC Sabathia and Chris Sale were in the majors together. With 561 games against 420 across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Chris Sale are ERA (2.95 to 3.74), WHIP (1.04 to 1.26), and strikeouts per nine (11.13 to 7.78). By rate, CC Sabathia struck out 7.78 and walked 2.76 per nine innings; Chris Sale struck out 11.13 and walked 2.08. CC Sabathia was mainly a starter (560 starts in 561 games), and Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games). Chris Sale allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to CC Sabathia's 1.26. Chris Sale's totals run through the 2026 season.
CC Sabathia vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, CC Sabathia or Chris Sale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.