Chris Sale leads Ohtani in pitching WAR this season on innings edge
Sale's 5.39 bWAR tops Ohtani's 3.21 largely due to a big innings-pitched gap, even though Ohtani's ERA and WHIP are better; Ohtani is currently sidelined with a biceps issue.
Published: · Figures as of September 20, 2026
Asked: Who's had the more valuable pitching season so far: Chris Sale or Shohei Ohtani?
Sale's been the more valuable pitcher, mostly on volume
Chris Sale has been the more valuable arm this season: 5.39 bWAR to Shohei Ohtani's 3.21, a gap built almost entirely on innings. Sale has thrown 157 innings to Ohtani's 85⅔, and while Ohtani's per-inning rates are a touch better, they aren't better enough to close a workload gap that size.
| Chris Sale (ATL) | Shohei Ohtani (LAD, pitching) | |
|---|---|---|
| Innings pitched | 157 | 85⅔ |
| ERA | 2.18 | 1.79 |
| WHIP | 0.994 | 0.946 |
| K/9 | 10.89 | 9.98 |
| BB/9 | 1.78 | 2.73 |
| K/BB | 6.13 | 3.65 |
| HR/9 | 0.52 | 0.42 |
| W-L | 14-9 | 8-2 |
| Pitching WAR | 5.39 | 3.21 |
| Pitcher | Pitching WAR (WAR) |
|---|---|
| Chris Sale | 5.39 |
| Shohei Ohtani | 3.21 |
Ohtani actually beats Sale on the rate stats that measure quality independent of workload - a lower ERA (1.79 to 2.18) and a lower WHIP (0.946 to 0.994) - but Sale's command has been sharper relative to his strikeout rate: a 6.13 K/BB against Ohtani's 3.65, since Ohtani has walked batters at a much higher clip (2.73 per nine versus 1.78). Bres-Reference's WAR weighs both the rate and the workload, and on that combined measure Sale ranks 9th among all 888 pitchers with a recorded value this season; Ohtani sits outside that top tier.
Two things worth flagging. First, Ohtani is currently on the injured list with left biceps inflammation, on the report since September 11 with a return date of September 23 - so his pitching line is effectively frozen at 85⅔ innings for now while Sale keeps adding to his. Second, this comparison is pitching only, as asked; Ohtani's value as a hitter (a .277/.372 line with 30 home runs) is a separate, additional case for him that this question doesn't cover.
Confidence: High on the season-to-date verdict - the WAR gap, the innings gap and the leaderboard placement all point the same direction. It would look different over a smaller, rate-only window, but by total value produced this year, Sale's been ahead.