Bert Blyleven vs Jimmy Key: Career Stats Comparison
Bert Blyleven 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). Bert Blyleven played 1970–1992 as a pitcher; Jimmy Key played 1984–1998 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
Bert Blyleven (1970–1992) and Jimmy Key (1984–1998) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bert Blyleven finished with 287 wins and 3,701 strikeouts; Jimmy Key finished with 186 wins and 1,538 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bert Blyleven, with 3.31 to Jimmy Key's 3.51.
- Who won more games? Bert Blyleven, with 287 to Jimmy Key's 186.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Jimmy Key's 1,538.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bert Blyleven, with 1.20 to Jimmy Key's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Bert Blyleven, with 4,970.0 to Jimmy Key's 2,591.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bert Blyleven, with 60 to Jimmy Key's 13.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bert Blyleven, with 74,910 career Pitcher PIV to Jimmy Key's 19,114.
Bert Blyleven
Jimmy Key
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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bert Blyleven | Jimmy Key |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 287 | 186 |
| Losses not scored | 250 | 117 |
| Games | Leads: 692 | 470 |
| Games Started | Leads: 685 | 389 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 242 | 34 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 60 | 13 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 10 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,701 | 1,538 |
| Walks not scored | 1,322 | 668 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,632 | 2,518 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 430 | 254 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,970.0 | 2,591.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.31 | 3.51 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.23 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.70 | 5.34 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bert Blyleven outpaces Jimmy Key 74,910 to 19,114 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,121 PIV per season to 1,274, across 24 seasons to 15. 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).
Bert Blyleven — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jimmy Key — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bert Blyleven leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jimmy Key owns no headline categories. 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.
Related Matchups
How the Bert Blyleven and Jimmy Key careers compare
From 1984 through 1992, Bert Blyleven and Jimmy Key were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 692 games for Bert Blyleven and 470 for Jimmy Key across 24 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jimmy Key comes out ahead, it is in saves (10 to 0) and walks per nine (2.32 to 2.39). By rate, Bert Blyleven struck out 6.70 and walked 2.39 per nine innings; Jimmy Key struck out 5.34 and walked 2.32. Both had the same role: Bert Blyleven was mainly a starter (685 starts in 692 games); Jimmy Key was mainly a starter (389 starts in 470 games).
Bert Blyleven vs Jimmy Key: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bert Blyleven or Jimmy Key?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bert Blyleven leads Jimmy Key in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bert Blyleven, with 3.31 to Jimmy Key's 3.51.
- Who won more games?
- Bert Blyleven, with 287 to Jimmy Key's 186.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Jimmy Key's 1,538.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bert Blyleven, with 1.20 to Jimmy Key's 1.23.