Curt Schilling vs Justin Verlander: Career Stats Comparison
Justin Verlander has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Curt Schilling played 1988–2007 as a pitcher; Justin Verlander 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
Curt Schilling (1988–2007) and Justin Verlander (2005–present) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Curt Schilling finished with 216 wins and 3,116 strikeouts; Justin Verlander has 266 wins and 3,560 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Justin Verlander, with 3.33 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Justin Verlander, with 266 to Curt Schilling's 216.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Justin Verlander, with 3,560 to Curt Schilling's 3,116.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Justin Verlander, with 3,576.2 to Curt Schilling's 3,261.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Curt Schilling, with 20 to Justin Verlander's 9.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Justin Verlander's 68,171.
Curt Schilling
Justin Verlander
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 1980s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Justin Verlander is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Curt Schilling | Justin Verlander |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 216 | Leads: 266 |
| Losses not scored | 146 | 159 |
| Games | Leads: 569 | 557 |
| Games Started | 436 | Leads: 557 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 83 | 26 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 9 |
| Saves | Leads: 22 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,116 | Leads: 3,560 |
| Walks not scored | 711 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,998 | 3,057 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 374 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,261.0 | Leads: 3,576.2 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 3.33 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 8.60 | Leads: 8.96 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.96 | 2.53 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling outpaces Justin Verlander 98,246 to 68,171 — driven by per-season impact — 4,678 PIV per season to 3,099 — rather than by longevity, since Curt Schilling played 21 seasons to Justin Verlander's 22. 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).
Curt Schilling — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Justin Verlander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Justin Verlander leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Curt Schilling owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Justin Verlander. Note that PIV actually grades Curt Schilling ahead, which means Justin Verlander's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Curt Schilling and Justin Verlander careers compare
From 2005 through 2007, Curt Schilling and Justin Verlander were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 569 games for Curt Schilling and 557 for Justin Verlander across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Curt Schilling struck out 8.60 and walked 1.96 per nine innings; Justin Verlander struck out 8.96 and walked 2.53. Both had the same role: Curt Schilling was mainly a starter (436 starts in 569 games); Justin Verlander was mainly a starter (557 starts in 557 games). The complete-game row, 83 against 26, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Justin Verlander's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Curt Schilling vs Justin Verlander: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Curt Schilling or Justin Verlander?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Justin Verlander leads Curt Schilling in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Justin Verlander, with 3.33 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Justin Verlander, with 266 to Curt Schilling's 216.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Justin Verlander, with 3,560 to Curt Schilling's 3,116.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.14.