Curt Schilling vs Frank Viola: Career Stats Comparison
Curt Schilling has the better career line of the two, leading 12 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; Frank Viola played 1982–1996 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 Frank Viola (1982–1996) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Curt Schilling finished with 216 wins and 3,116 strikeouts; Frank Viola finished with 176 wins and 1,844 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Curt Schilling, with 3.46 to Frank Viola's 3.73.
- Who won more games? Curt Schilling, with 216 to Frank Viola's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Frank Viola's 1,844.
- Who had the better WHIP? Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to Frank Viola's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? Curt Schilling, with 3,261.0 to Frank Viola's 2,836.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Curt Schilling, with 20 to Frank Viola's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Frank Viola's 8,226.
Curt Schilling
Frank Viola
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.
| Statistic | Curt Schilling | Frank Viola |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 216 | 176 |
| Losses not scored | 146 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 569 | 421 |
| Games Started | Leads: 436 | 420 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 83 | 74 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 16 |
| Saves | Leads: 22 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,116 | 1,844 |
| Walks not scored | 711 | 864 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,998 | 2,827 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 294 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,261.0 | 2,836.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.46 | 3.73 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.30 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.60 | 5.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.96 | 2.74 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling outpaces Frank Viola 98,246 to 8,226 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,678 PIV per season to 514, across 21 seasons to 16. 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)
Frank Viola — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Curt Schilling leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Frank Viola owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Curt Schilling. PIV agrees: Curt Schilling grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Curt Schilling and Frank Viola careers compare
From 1988 through 1996, Curt Schilling and Frank Viola were in the majors together. With 569 games against 421 across 21 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Every scored category on the table goes to Curt Schilling. The per-nine rows read 8.60 strikeouts and 1.96 walks for Curt Schilling, 5.85 and 2.74 for Frank Viola. Both had the same role: Curt Schilling was mainly a starter (436 starts in 569 games); Frank Viola was mainly a starter (420 starts in 421 games). In WHIP, Curt Schilling's 1.14 beats Frank Viola's 1.30.
Curt Schilling vs Frank Viola: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Curt Schilling or Frank Viola?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Curt Schilling leads Frank Viola in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Curt Schilling, with 3.46 to Frank Viola's 3.73.
- Who won more games?
- Curt Schilling, with 216 to Frank Viola's 176.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Frank Viola's 1,844.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to Frank Viola's 1.30.