Chris Sale vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Chris Sale has played 2010–present as a pitcher; Stephen Strasburg played 2010–2022 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 Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Chris Sale compiled 145 wins and 2,579 strikeouts; Stephen Strasburg put up 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 3.01 to Stephen Strasburg's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Chris Sale, with 145 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,579 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.05 to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.
- Who pitched more innings? Chris Sale, with 2,084 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,470.
- Who threw more shutouts? Chris Sale, with 3 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Sale, with 65,834 career Pitcher PIV to Stephen Strasburg's 41,364.
Chris Sale
Stephen Strasburg
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Chris Sale | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 145 | 113 |
| Losses | 88 | 62 |
| Games | Leads: 393 | 247 |
| Games Started | Leads: 312 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 3 | 2 |
| Saves | Leads: 12 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,579 | 1,723 |
| Walks | 487 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,692 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 213 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,084 | 1,470 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.05 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.14 | 10.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.10 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces Stephen Strasburg 65,834 to 41,364 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,389 vs 3,182 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).
Chris Sale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Stephen Strasburg — 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 Stephen Strasburg owns no headline categories. 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
Chris Sale vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chris Sale or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Sale leads Stephen Strasburg in 12 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 3.01 to Stephen Strasburg's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Chris Sale, with 145 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,579 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.05 to Stephen Strasburg's 1.10.