Tom Seaver vs Zack Wheeler: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 as a pitcher; Zack Wheeler has played 2013–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
Tom Seaver (1967–1986) and Zack Wheeler (2013–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts; Zack Wheeler has 127 wins and 2,013 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Zack Wheeler's 3.26.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Zack Wheeler's 1.13.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Seaver, with 4,782.2 to Zack Wheeler's 1,890.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Zack Wheeler's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Seaver, with 79,192 career Pitcher PIV to Zack Wheeler's 39,270.
Tom Seaver
Zack Wheeler
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 1960s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Zack Wheeler is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Tom Seaver | Zack Wheeler |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 311 | 127 |
| Losses not scored | 205 | 80 |
| Games | Leads: 656 | 311 |
| Games Started | Leads: 647 | 311 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 231 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 61 | 3 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,640 | 2,013 |
| Walks not scored | 1,390 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,971 | 1,598 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 380 | 187 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,782.2 | 1,890.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.26 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.13 |
| K/9 | 6.85 | Leads: 9.58 |
| BB/9 | 2.62 | Leads: 2.56 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Zack Wheeler 79,192 to 39,270 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,600 PIV per season to 3,570, across 22 seasons to 11. 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).
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Zack Wheeler — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Zack Wheeler owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Seaver and Zack Wheeler careers compare
No season is shared: Tom Seaver played 1967–1986, Zack Wheeler 2013–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Tom Seaver appeared in 656 games to Zack Wheeler's 311. The green cells for Zack Wheeler are strikeouts per nine (9.58 to 6.85) and walks per nine (2.56 to 2.62). By rate, Tom Seaver struck out 6.85 and walked 2.62 per nine innings; Zack Wheeler struck out 9.58 and walked 2.56. Both had the same role: Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games); Zack Wheeler was mainly a starter (311 starts in 311 games). Zack Wheeler's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Tom Seaver vs Zack Wheeler: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Seaver or Zack Wheeler?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Zack Wheeler in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Zack Wheeler's 3.26.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Zack Wheeler's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Zack Wheeler's 2,013.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Zack Wheeler's 1.13.