Bert Blyleven vs Mike Mussina: Career Stats Comparison
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 compiled 287 wins and 3,701 strikeouts; Mike Mussina put up 270 wins and 2,813 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Bert Blyleven | Mike Mussina |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 287 | 270 |
| Losses | 250 | 153 |
| Games | 692 | 537 |
| Games Started | 685 | 536 |
| Complete Games | 242 | 57 |
| Shutouts | 60 | 23 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 3,701 | 2,813 |
| Walks | 1,322 | 785 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,632 | 3,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 430 | 376 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,970 | 3,562 |
| ERA | 3.31 | 3.68 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | 6.70 | 7.11 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | 1.98 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Mussina edges Bert Blyleven 76,572 to 74,910 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,254 vs 3,121 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)
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.