CC Sabathia vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
CC Sabathia (2001–2019) and Adam Wainwright (2005–present) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. CC Sabathia compiled 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright put up 200 wins and 2,202 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
CC Sabathia
Adam Wainwright
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | CC Sabathia | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 251 | 200 |
| Losses | 161 | 128 |
| Games | 561 | 478 |
| Games Started | 560 | 411 |
| Complete Games | 38 | 28 |
| Shutouts | 12 | 11 |
| Saves | 0 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | 3,093 | 2,202 |
| Walks | 1,099 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,404 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 382 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,577 | 2,668 |
| ERA | 3.74 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 7.78 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | 2.76 | 2.48 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Adam Wainwright edges CC Sabathia 44,617 to 43,212 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,479 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, CC Sabathia leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Adam Wainwright owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to CC Sabathia. Note that PIV actually grades Adam Wainwright ahead, which means CC Sabathia's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.