Bret Saberhagen vs Mike Scott: Career Stats Comparison
Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) and Mike Scott (1979–1991) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bret Saberhagen compiled 167 wins and 1,715 strikeouts; Mike Scott put up 124 wins and 1,469 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Bret Saberhagen
Mike Scott
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 | Bret Saberhagen | Mike Scott |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 167 | 124 |
| Losses | 117 | 108 |
| Games | 399 | 347 |
| Games Started | 371 | 319 |
| Complete Games | 76 | 45 |
| Shutouts | 16 | 22 |
| Saves | 1 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | 1,715 | 1,469 |
| Walks | 471 | 627 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,452 | 1,858 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 218 | 173 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,562 | 2,068 |
| ERA | 3.34 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 6.02 | 6.39 |
| BB/9 | 1.65 | 2.73 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bret Saberhagen outpaces Mike Scott 53,065 to 28,073 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,122 vs 2,159 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).
Bret Saberhagen — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Mike Scott — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bret Saberhagen leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Mike Scott owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bret Saberhagen. PIV agrees: Bret Saberhagen grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.