Chris Sale vs Curt Schilling: Career Stats Comparison
Curt Schilling 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). Chris Sale has played 2010–present 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
Chris Sale (2010–present) and Curt Schilling (1988–2007) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through October 6, 2026; 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? Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Curt Schilling, with 216 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Curt Schilling's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Curt Schilling, with 3,261.0 to Chris Sale's 2,246.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Curt Schilling, with 20 to Chris Sale's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Chris Sale's 65,834.
Chris Sale
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, and the 2010s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Chris Sale is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Chris Sale | Curt Schilling |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 159 | Leads: 216 |
| Losses not scored | 97 | 146 |
| Games | 420 | Leads: 569 |
| Games Started | 339 | Leads: 436 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 83 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 20 |
| Saves | 12 | Leads: 22 |
| Strikeouts | 2,779 | Leads: 3,116 |
| Walks not scored | 518 | 711 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,821 | 2,998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,246.2 | Leads: 3,261.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.95 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.13 | 8.60 |
| BB/9 | 2.08 | Leads: 1.96 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling outpaces Chris Sale 98,246 to 65,834 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,678 PIV per season to 4,389, across 21 seasons to 15. 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).
Chris Sale — 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, and innings pitched, while Chris Sale owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. 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 Chris Sale and Curt Schilling careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Curt Schilling's ended in 2007, and Chris Sale debuted in 2010. The two careers are close in length, 420 games for Chris Sale and 569 for Curt Schilling across 15 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Chris Sale are ERA (2.95 to 3.46), WHIP (1.04 to 1.14), and strikeouts per nine (11.13 to 8.60). By rate, Chris Sale struck out 11.13 and walked 2.08 per nine innings; Curt Schilling struck out 8.60 and walked 1.96. Chris Sale's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Chris Sale vs Curt Schilling: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chris Sale or Curt Schilling?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Curt Schilling leads Chris Sale in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Curt Schilling, with 216 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Curt Schilling's 1.14.