CC Sabathia vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia and Stephen Strasburg 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; 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
CC Sabathia (2001–2019) and Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 2010s respectively and share 10 seasons. CC Sabathia finished with 251 wins and 3,093 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? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games? CC Sabathia, with 251 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.
- How many innings did each pitch? CC Sabathia 3,577.1, Stephen Strasburg 1,470.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
CC Sabathia
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 | CC Sabathia | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 113 |
| Losses not scored | 161 | 62 |
| Games not scored | 561 | 247 |
| Games Started not scored | 560 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 38 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 2 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,093 | 1,723 |
| Walks not scored | 1,099 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,404 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 382 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,577.1 | 1,470.0 |
| ERA | 3.74 | Leads: 3.24 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 7.78 | Leads: 10.55 |
| BB/9 | 2.76 | Leads: 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), CC Sabathia edges Stephen Strasburg 43,212 to 41,364 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: CC Sabathia played 19 seasons to Stephen Strasburg's 13, while Stephen Strasburg carries the higher per-season figure (3,182 to 2,274). 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)
Stephen Strasburg — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
CC Sabathia and Stephen Strasburg 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 CC Sabathia higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the CC Sabathia and Stephen Strasburg careers compare
CC Sabathia and Stephen Strasburg were active at the same time between 2010 and 2019. CC Sabathia has the far longer record, 561 games against 247 across 19 and 13 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Stephen Strasburg's edges on the table are ERA (3.24 to 3.74), WHIP (1.10 to 1.26), and strikeouts per nine (10.55 to 7.78). The per-nine rows read 7.78 strikeouts and 2.76 walks for CC Sabathia, 10.55 and 2.41 for Stephen Strasburg. Both had the same role: CC Sabathia was mainly a starter (560 starts in 561 games); Stephen Strasburg was mainly a starter (247 starts in 247 games). In WHIP, Stephen Strasburg's 1.10 beats CC Sabathia's 1.26.
CC Sabathia vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, CC Sabathia or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to CC Sabathia's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- CC Sabathia, with 251 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- CC Sabathia, with 3,093 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to CC Sabathia's 1.26.