Blake Snell vs Ed Walsh: Career Stats Comparison
Ed Walsh has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Blake Snell has played 2016–present as a pitcher; Ed Walsh played 1904–1917 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
Blake Snell (2016–present) and Ed Walsh (1904–1917) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Ed Walsh finished with 195 wins and 1,736 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games? Ed Walsh, with 195 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Ed Walsh, with 1,736 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Blake Snell's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Ed Walsh, with 2,964.1 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ed Walsh, with 57 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ed Walsh, with 62,631 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Blake Snell
Ed Walsh
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 2010s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Blake Snell | Ed Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 85 | Leads: 195 |
| Losses not scored | 63 | 126 |
| Games | 231 | Leads: 430 |
| Games Started | 231 | Leads: 315 |
| Complete Games | 1 | Leads: 250 |
| Shutouts | 1 | Leads: 57 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 35 |
| Strikeouts | 1,495 | Leads: 1,736 |
| Walks not scored | 537 | 617 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 922 | 2,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 111 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,200.2 | Leads: 2,964.1 |
| ERA | 3.10 | Leads: 1.82 |
| WHIP | 1.22 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | Leads: 11.21 | 5.27 |
| BB/9 | 4.03 | Leads: 1.87 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ed Walsh outpaces Blake Snell 62,631 to 27,494 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,474 PIV per season to 2,749, across 14 seasons to 10. 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).
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Ed Walsh — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ed Walsh leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Blake Snell owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ed Walsh. PIV agrees: Ed Walsh grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Blake Snell and Ed Walsh careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Ed Walsh's ended in 1917, and Blake Snell debuted in 2016. The table compares 231 games of Blake Snell with 430 of Ed Walsh across 10 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Blake Snell are strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 5.27). By rate, Blake Snell struck out 11.21 and walked 4.03 per nine innings; Ed Walsh struck out 5.27 and walked 1.87. Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games), and Ed Walsh was mainly a starter (315 starts in 430 games). Complete games (1 to 250) show how differently the two eras used starters. Because Blake Snell is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Blake Snell vs Ed Walsh: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Blake Snell or Ed Walsh?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ed Walsh leads Blake Snell in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.82 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games?
- Ed Walsh, with 195 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Ed Walsh, with 1,736 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ed Walsh, with 1.00 to Blake Snell's 1.22.