Pete Alexander vs Randy Johnson: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Randy Johnson played 1988–2009 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
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Randy Johnson (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Randy Johnson finished with 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Randy Johnson's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Randy Johnson's 4,135.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Randy Johnson's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Randy Johnson, with 122,530 career Pitcher PIV to Pete Alexander's 75,743.
Pete Alexander
Randy Johnson
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 1910s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Randy Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 303 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 166 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 618 |
| Games Started | 599 | Leads: 603 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 100 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 37 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 4,875 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,497 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 3,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 411 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 4,135.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 10.61 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 3.26 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Randy Johnson outpaces Pete Alexander 122,530 to 75,743 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,105 PIV per season to 3,607, across 24 seasons to 21. 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).
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Randy Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Randy Johnson owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. Note that PIV actually grades Randy Johnson ahead, which means Pete Alexander's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Randy Johnson careers compare
No season is shared: Pete Alexander played 1911–1930, Randy Johnson 1988–2009. With 696 games against 618 across 21 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Randy Johnson are starts (603 to 599), strikeouts (4,875 to 2,198), and strikeouts per nine (10.61 to 3.81). The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 10.61 and 3.26 for Randy Johnson. Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games), and Randy Johnson was mainly a starter (603 starts in 618 games). Complete games (437 to 100) show how differently the two eras used starters. In WHIP, Pete Alexander's 1.12 beats Randy Johnson's 1.17.
Pete Alexander vs Randy Johnson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Randy Johnson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Randy Johnson in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Randy Johnson's 1.17.