Chris Sale vs Adam Wainwright: Career Stats Comparison
Chris Sale has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Chris Sale has played 2010–present as a pitcher; Adam Wainwright played 2005–2023 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 (2005–2023) — they debuted in the 2010s and the 2000s respectively and share 14 seasons. Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through the 2026 season; Adam Wainwright finished with 200 wins and 2,202 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Chris Sale, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP? Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.
- How many innings did each pitch? Chris Sale 2,246.2, Adam Wainwright 2,668.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Adam Wainwright, with 11 to Chris Sale's 4.
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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.
| Statistic | Chris Sale | Adam Wainwright |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 159 | Leads: 200 |
| Losses not scored | 97 | 128 |
| Games not scored | 420 | 478 |
| Games Started not scored | 339 | 411 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 28 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 11 |
| Saves not scored | 12 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,779 | 2,202 |
| Walks not scored | 518 | 736 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,821 | 2,577 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 223 | 233 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,246.2 | 2,668.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.95 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.13 | 7.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.08 | 2.48 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Chris Sale outpaces Adam Wainwright 73,774 to 44,617 — driven by per-season impact — 4,611 PIV per season to 2,479 — rather than by longevity, since Chris Sale played 16 seasons to Adam Wainwright's 18. 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
Chris Sale leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. Adam Wainwright leads 3: wins, complete games, and shutouts. 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 Adam Wainwright careers compare
Chris Sale and Adam Wainwright were active at the same time between 2010 and 2023. With 420 games against 478 across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Adam Wainwright comes out ahead, it is in wins (200 to 159), complete games (28 to 17), and shutouts (11 to 4). By rate, Chris Sale struck out 11.13 and walked 2.08 per nine innings; Adam Wainwright struck out 7.43 and walked 2.48. Both had the same role: Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games); Adam Wainwright was mainly a starter (411 starts in 478 games). In WHIP, Chris Sale's 1.04 beats Adam Wainwright's 1.24. Chris Sale's totals run through the 2026 season.
Chris Sale vs Adam Wainwright: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Chris Sale or Adam Wainwright?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Chris Sale leads Adam Wainwright in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Chris Sale, with 2.95 to Adam Wainwright's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Adam Wainwright, with 200 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Chris Sale, with 2,779 to Adam Wainwright's 2,202.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Chris Sale, with 1.04 to Adam Wainwright's 1.24.