Paul Skenes vs Fernando Valenzuela: Career Stats Comparison
Fernando Valenzuela 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; Fernando Valenzuela played 1980–1997 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 Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 2020s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Paul Skenes has 31 wins and 586 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Fernando Valenzuela finished with 173 wins and 2,074 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 Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Fernando Valenzuela, with 173 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,074 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,930.0 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Fernando Valenzuela, with 31 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Fernando Valenzuela, with 30,102 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Skenes's 14,331.
Paul Skenes
Fernando Valenzuela
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 1980s 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 | Fernando Valenzuela |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 31 | Leads: 173 |
| Losses not scored | 24 | 153 |
| Games | 87 | Leads: 453 |
| Games Started | 87 | Leads: 424 |
| Complete Games | 1 | Leads: 113 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 31 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 2 |
| Strikeouts | 586 | Leads: 2,074 |
| Walks not scored | 123 | 1,151 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 376 | 2,718 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 41 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | 495.0 | Leads: 2,930.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.62 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.01 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.65 | 6.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.24 | 3.54 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fernando Valenzuela outpaces Paul Skenes 30,102 to 14,331 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Fernando Valenzuela played 18 seasons to Paul Skenes's 2, while Paul Skenes carries the higher per-season figure (7,166 to 1,672). 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)
Fernando Valenzuela — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fernando Valenzuela 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 Fernando Valenzuela. PIV agrees: Fernando Valenzuela 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 Fernando Valenzuela careers compare
Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) was finished before Paul Skenes (2024–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Fernando Valenzuela has the far longer record, 453 games against 87 across 2 and 18 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Paul Skenes comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.62 to 3.54), WHIP (1.01 to 1.32), and strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 6.37). By rate, Paul Skenes struck out 10.65 and walked 2.24 per nine innings; Fernando Valenzuela struck out 6.37 and walked 3.54. Both had the same role: Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games); Fernando Valenzuela was mainly a starter (424 starts in 453 games). Because Paul Skenes is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Paul Skenes vs Fernando Valenzuela: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Skenes or Fernando Valenzuela?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fernando Valenzuela leads Paul Skenes in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Paul Skenes, with 2.62 to Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Fernando Valenzuela, with 173 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,074 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.