Vida Blue vs Steve Carlton: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Vida Blue played 1969–1986 as a pitcher; Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 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
Vida Blue (1969–1986) and Steve Carlton (1965–1988) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Vida Blue finished with 209 wins and 2,175 strikeouts; Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Vida Blue's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Vida Blue's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Vida Blue's 2,175.
- Who had the better WHIP? Vida Blue, with 1.23 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Vida Blue's 3,343.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Vida Blue's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Vida Blue's 26,790.
Vida Blue
Steve Carlton
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Vida Blue | Steve Carlton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | Leads: 329 |
| Losses not scored | 161 | 244 |
| Games | 502 | Leads: 741 |
| Games Started | 473 | Leads: 709 |
| Complete Games | 143 | Leads: 254 |
| Shutouts | 37 | Leads: 55 |
| Saves | 2 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 2,175 | Leads: 4,136 |
| Walks not scored | 1,185 | 1,833 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 4,672 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 263 | 414 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,343.1 | Leads: 5,217.1 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 3.22 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 5.85 | Leads: 7.13 |
| BB/9 | 3.19 | Leads: 3.16 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Vida Blue 76,502 to 26,790 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,833 PIV per season to 1,576, across 27 seasons to 17. 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).
Vida Blue — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Steve Carlton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Vida Blue owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. PIV agrees: Steve Carlton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Vida Blue and Steve Carlton careers compare
From 1969 through 1986, Vida Blue and Steve Carlton were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 502 games for Vida Blue and 741 for Steve Carlton across 17 and 27 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Vida Blue are WHIP (1.23 to 1.25). The per-nine rows read 5.85 strikeouts and 3.19 walks for Vida Blue, 7.13 and 3.16 for Steve Carlton. Vida Blue was mainly a starter (473 starts in 502 games), and Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games). In WHIP, Vida Blue's 1.23 beats Steve Carlton's 1.25.
Vida Blue vs Steve Carlton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Vida Blue or Steve Carlton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Vida Blue in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Vida Blue's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Vida Blue's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Vida Blue's 2,175.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Vida Blue, with 1.23 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.