Bert Blyleven vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver 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; Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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 Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 17 seasons. Bert Blyleven finished with 287 wins and 3,701 strikeouts; Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Tom Seaver, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Bert Blyleven's 3.31.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Bert Blyleven's 287.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Tom Seaver's 3,640.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Bert Blyleven's 1.20.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bert Blyleven 4,970.0, Tom Seaver 4,782.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Bert Blyleven's 60.
Bert Blyleven
Tom Seaver
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 | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 287 | Leads: 311 |
| Losses not scored | 250 | 205 |
| Games not scored | 692 | 656 |
| Games Started not scored | 685 | 647 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 242 | 231 |
| Shutouts | 60 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,701 | 3,640 |
| Walks not scored | 1,322 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,632 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 430 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,970.0 | 4,782.2 |
| ERA | 3.31 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 6.70 | Leads: 6.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.39 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver edges Bert Blyleven 79,192 to 74,910 — driven by per-season impact — 3,960 PIV per season to 3,405 — rather than by longevity, since Tom Seaver played 20 seasons to Bert Blyleven's 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)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Tom Seaver leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, shutouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Bert Blyleven leads 3: complete games, strikeouts, and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver 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 Tom Seaver careers compare
The careers of Bert Blyleven (1970–1992) and Tom Seaver (1967–1986) overlapped from 1970 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 692 games against 656 across 22 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Bert Blyleven's edges on the table are complete games (242 to 231), strikeouts (3,701 to 3,640), and walks per nine (2.39 to 2.62). By rate, Bert Blyleven struck out 6.70 and walked 2.39 per nine innings; Tom Seaver struck out 6.85 and walked 2.62. Bert Blyleven was mainly a starter (685 starts in 692 games), and Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games).
Bert Blyleven vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bert Blyleven or Tom Seaver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Bert Blyleven in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Bert Blyleven's 3.31.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Bert Blyleven's 287.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bert Blyleven, with 3,701 to Tom Seaver's 3,640.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Bert Blyleven's 1.20.