Bret Saberhagen vs Curt Schilling: Career Stats Comparison
Curt Schilling has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bret Saberhagen played 1984–2001 as a pitcher; Curt Schilling played 1988–2007 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
Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) and Curt Schilling (1988–2007) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bret Saberhagen finished with 167 wins and 1,715 strikeouts; Curt Schilling finished with 216 wins and 3,116 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bret Saberhagen, with 3.34 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Curt Schilling, with 216 to Bret Saberhagen's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Curt Schilling, with 3,261.0 to Bret Saberhagen's 2,562.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Curt Schilling, with 20 to Bret Saberhagen's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Bret Saberhagen's 53,065.
Bret Saberhagen
Curt Schilling
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bret Saberhagen | Curt Schilling |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 167 | Leads: 216 |
| Losses not scored | 117 | 146 |
| Games | 399 | Leads: 569 |
| Games Started | 371 | Leads: 436 |
| Complete Games | 76 | Leads: 83 |
| Shutouts | 16 | Leads: 20 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 22 |
| Strikeouts | 1,715 | Leads: 3,116 |
| Walks not scored | 471 | 711 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,452 | 2,998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 218 | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,562.2 | Leads: 3,261.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.34 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 6.02 | Leads: 8.60 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 1.96 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling outpaces Bret Saberhagen 98,246 to 53,065 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,678 PIV per season to 3,122, across 21 seasons to 17. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Bret Saberhagen — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Curt Schilling — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Curt Schilling leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Bret Saberhagen owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Curt Schilling. PIV agrees: Curt Schilling grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bret Saberhagen and Curt Schilling careers compare
Bret Saberhagen and Curt Schilling were active at the same time between 1988 and 2001. With 399 games against 569 across 17 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bret Saberhagen's edges on the table are ERA (3.34 to 3.46) and walks per nine (1.65 to 1.96). By rate, Bret Saberhagen struck out 6.02 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Curt Schilling struck out 8.60 and walked 1.96. Bret Saberhagen was mainly a starter (371 starts in 399 games), and Curt Schilling was mainly a starter (436 starts in 569 games). In WHIP, Curt Schilling's 1.14 beats Bret Saberhagen's 1.14.
Bret Saberhagen vs Curt Schilling: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bret Saberhagen or Curt Schilling?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Curt Schilling leads Bret Saberhagen in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 3.34 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Curt Schilling, with 216 to Bret Saberhagen's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.14.