Shane Bieber vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer 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). Shane Bieber has played 2018–present as a pitcher; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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
Shane Bieber (2018–present) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Shane Bieber has 71 wins and 1,039 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Shane Bieber's 3.31.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Shane Bieber's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Shane Bieber's 1,039.
- Who had the better WHIP? Shane Bieber, with 1.13 to Jim Palmer's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Shane Bieber's 939.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Shane Bieber's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Shane Bieber, with 25,160 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Shane Bieber
Jim Palmer
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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Shane Bieber is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Shane Bieber | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 71 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 152 |
| Games | 154 | Leads: 558 |
| Games Started | 152 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 5 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 4 |
| Strikeouts | 1,039 | Leads: 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 219 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 841 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 112 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 939.0 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.31 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.13 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.96 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.10 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Shane Bieber leads Jim Palmer 25,160 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 3,145 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Shane Bieber played 8 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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).
Shane Bieber — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Shane Bieber owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades Shane Bieber ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Shane Bieber and Jim Palmer careers compare
No season is shared: Jim Palmer played 1965–1984, Shane Bieber 2018–present. The table compares 154 games of Shane Bieber with 558 of Jim Palmer across 8 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Shane Bieber are WHIP (1.13 to 1.18), strikeouts per nine (9.96 to 5.04), and walks per nine (2.10 to 2.99). By rate, Shane Bieber struck out 9.96 and walked 2.10 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Shane Bieber was mainly a starter (152 starts in 154 games), and Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). Shane Bieber's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Shane Bieber vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Shane Bieber or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Shane Bieber in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Shane Bieber's 3.31.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Shane Bieber's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Shane Bieber's 1,039.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Shane Bieber, with 1.13 to Jim Palmer's 1.18.