Bert Blyleven vs Mike Mussina: Career Stats Comparison
Bert Blyleven has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Mike Mussina played 1991–2008 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 Mike Mussina (1991–2008) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bert Blyleven finished with 287 wins and 3,701 strikeouts; Mike Mussina finished with 270 wins and 2,813 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 Mike Mussina's 3.68.
- Who won more games? Bert Blyleven, with 287 to Mike Mussina's 270.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Mike Mussina's 2,813.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mike Mussina, with 1.19 to Bert Blyleven's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Bert Blyleven, with 4,970.0 to Mike Mussina's 3,562.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bert Blyleven, with 60 to Mike Mussina's 23.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mike Mussina, with 76,572 career Pitcher PIV to Bert Blyleven's 74,910.
Bert Blyleven
Mike Mussina
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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bert Blyleven | Mike Mussina |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 287 | 270 |
| Losses not scored | 250 | 153 |
| Games | Leads: 692 | 537 |
| Games Started | Leads: 685 | 536 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 242 | 57 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 60 | 23 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,701 | 2,813 |
| Walks not scored | 1,322 | 785 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,632 | 3,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 430 | 376 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,970.0 | 3,562.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.31 | 3.68 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | 6.70 | Leads: 7.11 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | Leads: 1.98 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Mussina edges Bert Blyleven 76,572 to 74,910 — driven by per-season impact — 4,254 PIV per season to 3,121 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Mussina played 18 seasons to Bert Blyleven's 24. 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)
Mike Mussina — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bert Blyleven leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Mike Mussina owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bert Blyleven. Note that PIV actually grades Mike Mussina ahead, which means Bert Blyleven's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bert Blyleven and Mike Mussina careers compare
Bert Blyleven and Mike Mussina were active at the same time between 1991 and 1992. With 692 games against 537 across 24 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Mike Mussina's edges on the table are WHIP (1.19 to 1.20), strikeouts per nine (7.11 to 6.70), and walks per nine (1.98 to 2.39). The per-nine rows read 6.70 strikeouts and 2.39 walks for Bert Blyleven, 7.11 and 1.98 for Mike Mussina. Bert Blyleven was mainly a starter (685 starts in 692 games), and Mike Mussina was mainly a starter (536 starts in 537 games). The complete-game row, 242 against 57, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Bert Blyleven vs Mike Mussina: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bert Blyleven or Mike Mussina?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bert Blyleven leads Mike Mussina in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bert Blyleven, with 3.31 to Mike Mussina's 3.68.
- Who won more games?
- Bert Blyleven, with 287 to Mike Mussina's 270.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Mike Mussina's 2,813.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mike Mussina, with 1.19 to Bert Blyleven's 1.20.