Bert Blyleven vs Tommy John: Career Stats Comparison
Bert Blyleven (1970–1992) and Tommy John (1963–1989) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bert Blyleven compiled 287 wins and 3,701 strikeouts; Tommy John put up 288 wins and 2,245 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Bert Blyleven
Tommy John
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Bert Blyleven | Tommy John |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 287 | 288 |
| Losses | 250 | 231 |
| Games | 692 | 760 |
| Games Started | 685 | 700 |
| Complete Games | 242 | 162 |
| Shutouts | 60 | 46 |
| Saves | 0 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | 3,701 | 2,245 |
| Walks | 1,322 | 1,259 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,632 | 4,783 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 430 | 302 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,970 | 4,710 |
| ERA | 3.31 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 6.70 | 4.29 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bert Blyleven outpaces Tommy John 74,910 to 39,802 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,121 vs 1,422 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Bert Blyleven — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tommy John — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bert Blyleven leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tommy John owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bert Blyleven. PIV agrees: Bert Blyleven grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.