Chris Sale vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale and Adam Wainwright are close to even, splitting the 12 statistical categories compared on this page 6–6. Chris Sale has played 2010–present as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright has played 2005–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 Adam Wainwright (2005–present) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Chris Sale compiled 145 wins and 2,579 strikeouts; Adam Wainwright put up 200 wins and 2,202 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 Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Chris Sale's 145.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,579 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.05 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Adam Wainwright, with 2,668 to Chris Sale's 2,084.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Chris Sale's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Chris Sale, with 65,834 career Pitcher PIV to Adam Wainwright's 44,617.
Chris Sale
Adam Wainwright
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 | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 145 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses | 88 | 128 |
| Games | 393 | Leads: 478 |
| Games Started | 312 | Leads: 411 |
| Complete Games | 16 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 3 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves | Leads: 12 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,579 | 2,202 |
| Walks | 487 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,692 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 213 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,084 | Leads: 2,668 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.05 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.14 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.10 | 2.48 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces Adam Wainwright 65,834 to 44,617 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,389 vs 2,479 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)
Adam Wainwright — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Chris Sale leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Adam Wainwright owns wins and innings pitched. 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 Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 3.01 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Chris Sale's 145.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,579 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.05 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.