Paul Skenes vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Warren Spahn has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Paul Skenes has played 2024–present as a pitcher; Warren Spahn played 1942–1965 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
Paul Skenes (2024–present) and Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — breaking in during the 2020s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Paul Skenes has 31 wins and 586 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Warren Spahn finished with 363 wins and 2,583 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Warren Spahn's 3.09.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Warren Spahn, with 5,243.2 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Warren Spahn, with 63,558 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Skenes's 14,331.
Paul Skenes
Warren Spahn
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 2020s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Skenes is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Paul Skenes | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 31 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 24 | 245 |
| Games | 87 | Leads: 750 |
| Games Started | 87 | Leads: 665 |
| Complete Games | 1 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | 586 | Leads: 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 123 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 376 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 41 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched | 495.0 | Leads: 5,243.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.62 | 3.09 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.01 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.65 | 4.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.24 | 2.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Warren Spahn outpaces Paul Skenes 63,558 to 14,331 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Warren Spahn played 22 seasons to Paul Skenes's 2, while Paul Skenes carries the higher per-season figure (7,166 to 2,889). 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).
Paul Skenes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Warren Spahn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Warren Spahn leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Paul Skenes owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Warren Spahn. PIV agrees: Warren Spahn grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Paul Skenes and Warren Spahn careers compare
Warren Spahn (1942–1965) was finished before Paul Skenes (2024–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Paul Skenes has appeared in 87 games to Warren Spahn's 750. Paul Skenes's edges on the table are ERA (2.62 to 3.09), WHIP (1.01 to 1.19), and strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 4.43). The per-nine rows read 10.65 strikeouts and 2.24 walks for Paul Skenes, 4.43 and 2.46 for Warren Spahn. Both had the same role: Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games); Warren Spahn was mainly a starter (665 starts in 750 games). Because Paul Skenes is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Paul Skenes vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Skenes or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Warren Spahn leads Paul Skenes in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Warren Spahn's 3.09.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.