Chris Sale vs Blake Snell: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Blake Snell has played 2016–present 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 Blake Snell (2016–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. 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 Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games? Chris Sale, with 159 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Blake Snell's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Chris Sale, with 2,246.2 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Chris Sale, with 4 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Sale, with 65,834 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Chris Sale
Blake Snell
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.
Chris Sale and Blake Snell are still active — their totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Chris Sale | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 159 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 97 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 420 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 339 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 12 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,779 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 518 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,821 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,246.2 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.95 | 3.10 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 11.13 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.08 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces Blake Snell 65,834 to 27,494 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,389 PIV per season to 2,749, across 15 seasons to 10. 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)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chris Sale leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Blake Snell owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Chris Sale. PIV agrees: Chris Sale 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 Blake Snell careers compare
The two careers overlap from 2016 on, with both players still active. The table compares 420 games of Chris Sale with 231 of Blake Snell across 15 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Blake Snell's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 11.13). By rate, Chris Sale struck out 11.13 and walked 2.08 per nine innings; Blake Snell struck out 11.21 and walked 4.03. Both had the same role: Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games); Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Chris Sale allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to Blake Snell's 1.22. Chris Sale and Blake Snell's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Chris Sale vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chris Sale or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Sale leads Blake Snell in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games?
- Chris Sale, with 159 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Blake Snell's 1.22.