Bret Saberhagen vs Mike Scott: Career Stats Comparison
Bret Saberhagen has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Mike Scott played 1979–1991 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 Mike Scott (1979–1991) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bret Saberhagen finished with 167 wins and 1,715 strikeouts; Mike Scott finished with 124 wins and 1,469 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 Mike Scott's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Bret Saberhagen, with 167 to Mike Scott's 124.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bret Saberhagen, with 1,715 to Mike Scott's 1,469.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bret Saberhagen, with 1.14 to Mike Scott's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Bret Saberhagen, with 2,562.2 to Mike Scott's 2,068.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mike Scott, with 22 to Bret Saberhagen's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bret Saberhagen, with 53,065 career Pitcher PIV to Mike Scott's 28,073.
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. 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, and the 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bret Saberhagen | Mike Scott |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 167 | 124 |
| Losses not scored | 117 | 108 |
| Games | Leads: 399 | 347 |
| Games Started | Leads: 371 | 319 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 76 | 45 |
| Shutouts | 16 | Leads: 22 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,715 | 1,469 |
| Walks not scored | 471 | 627 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,452 | 1,858 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 218 | 173 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,562.2 | 2,068.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.34 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 6.02 | Leads: 6.39 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.73 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bret Saberhagen outpaces Mike Scott 53,065 to 28,073 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,122 PIV per season to 2,159, across 17 seasons to 13. 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)
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.
Related Matchups
How the Bret Saberhagen and Mike Scott careers compare
Bret Saberhagen and Mike Scott were active at the same time between 1984 and 1991. With 399 games against 347 across 17 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Mike Scott's edges on the table are shutouts (22 to 16), saves (3 to 1), and strikeouts per nine (6.39 to 6.02). The per-nine rows read 6.02 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Bret Saberhagen, 6.39 and 2.73 for Mike Scott. Bret Saberhagen was mainly a starter (371 starts in 399 games), and Mike Scott was mainly a starter (319 starts in 347 games). In WHIP, Bret Saberhagen's 1.14 beats Mike Scott's 1.20.
Bret Saberhagen vs Mike Scott: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bret Saberhagen or Mike Scott?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bret Saberhagen leads Mike Scott in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 3.34 to Mike Scott's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 167 to Mike Scott's 124.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 1,715 to Mike Scott's 1,469.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 1.14 to Mike Scott's 1.20.