CC Sabathia vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. 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) — 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; Stephen Strasburg put up 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- 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.
- Who pitched more innings? CC Sabathia, with 3,577 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,470.
- Who threw more shutouts? CC Sabathia, with 12 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? CC Sabathia, with 43,212 career Pitcher PIV to Stephen Strasburg's 41,364.
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. 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 | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 113 |
| Losses | 161 | 62 |
| Games | Leads: 561 | 247 |
| Games Started | Leads: 560 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 38 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 12 | 2 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,093 | 1,723 |
| Walks | 1,099 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,404 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 382 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,577 | 1,470 |
| 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 gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,161 vs 3,182 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)
Stephen Strasburg — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, CC Sabathia leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Stephen Strasburg owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to CC Sabathia. PIV agrees: CC Sabathia grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
CC Sabathia vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, CC Sabathia or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, CC Sabathia leads Stephen Strasburg in 7 of 11 categories.
- 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.