Bert Blyleven vs Nolan Ryan: Career Stats Comparison
Nolan Ryan has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bert Blyleven played 1970–1992 as a pitcher; Nolan Ryan played 1966–1993 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 Nolan Ryan (1966–1993) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 23 seasons. Bert Blyleven finished with 287 wins and 3,701 strikeouts; Nolan Ryan finished with 324 wins and 5,714 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Nolan Ryan, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Nolan Ryan, with 3.19 to Bert Blyleven's 3.31.
- Who won more games? Nolan Ryan, with 324 to Bert Blyleven's 287.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Bert Blyleven's 3,701.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bert Blyleven, with 1.20 to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bert Blyleven 4,970.0, Nolan Ryan 5,386.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Nolan Ryan, with 61 to Bert Blyleven's 60.
Bert Blyleven
Nolan Ryan
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Bert Blyleven | Nolan Ryan |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 287 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 250 | 292 |
| Games not scored | 692 | 807 |
| Games Started not scored | 685 | 773 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 242 | 222 |
| Shutouts | 60 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | 3,701 | Leads: 5,714 |
| Walks not scored | 1,322 | 2,795 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,632 | 3,923 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 430 | 321 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,970.0 | 5,386.0 |
| ERA | 3.31 | Leads: 3.19 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 6.70 | Leads: 9.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.39 | 4.67 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nolan Ryan outpaces Bert Blyleven 111,223 to 74,910 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,119 PIV per season to 3,405, across 27 seasons to 22. 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)
Nolan Ryan — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Nolan Ryan leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Bert Blyleven leads 3: complete games, WHIP, and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nolan Ryan. PIV agrees: Nolan Ryan 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 Nolan Ryan careers compare
Bert Blyleven and Nolan Ryan were active at the same time between 1970 and 1992. With 692 games against 807 across 22 and 27 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Bert Blyleven comes out ahead, it is in complete games (242 to 222), WHIP (1.20 to 1.25), and walks per nine (2.39 to 4.67). The per-nine rows read 6.70 strikeouts and 2.39 walks for Bert Blyleven, 9.55 and 4.67 for Nolan Ryan. Bert Blyleven was mainly a starter (685 starts in 692 games), and Nolan Ryan was mainly a starter (773 starts in 807 games). Bert Blyleven allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.20 WHIP to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.
Bert Blyleven vs Nolan Ryan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bert Blyleven or Nolan Ryan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nolan Ryan leads Bert Blyleven in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Nolan Ryan, with 3.19 to Bert Blyleven's 3.31.
- Who won more games?
- Nolan Ryan, with 324 to Bert Blyleven's 287.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Bert Blyleven's 3,701.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bert Blyleven, with 1.20 to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.