Tommy Bridges vs Bob Feller: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Feller has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tommy Bridges played 1930–1946 as a pitcher; Bob Feller played 1936–1956 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
Tommy Bridges (1930–1946) and Bob Feller (1936–1956) — both came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Tommy Bridges finished with 194 wins and 1,674 strikeouts; Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Tommy Bridges's 3.57.
- Who won more games? Bob Feller, with 266 to Tommy Bridges's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Tommy Bridges's 1,674.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Feller, with 1.32 to Tommy Bridges's 1.37.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Feller, with 3,827.0 to Tommy Bridges's 2,826.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Tommy Bridges's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Tommy Bridges's 10,928.
Tommy Bridges
Bob Feller
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tommy Bridges | Bob Feller |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 266 |
| Losses not scored | 138 | 162 |
| Games | 424 | Leads: 570 |
| Games Started | 362 | Leads: 484 |
| Complete Games | 200 | Leads: 279 |
| Shutouts | 33 | Leads: 44 |
| Saves | 10 | Leads: 21 |
| Strikeouts | 1,674 | Leads: 2,581 |
| Walks not scored | 1,192 | 1,764 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,675 | 3,271 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 181 | 224 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,826.1 | Leads: 3,827.0 |
| ERA | 3.57 | Leads: 3.25 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | Leads: 1.32 |
| K/9 | 5.33 | Leads: 6.07 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.80 | 4.15 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller outpaces Tommy Bridges 48,739 to 10,928 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,708 PIV per season to 683, across 18 seasons to 16. 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).
Tommy Bridges — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Feller — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Feller leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tommy Bridges owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Feller. PIV agrees: Bob Feller grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tommy Bridges and Bob Feller careers compare
Tommy Bridges and Bob Feller were active at the same time between 1936 and 1946. With 424 games against 570 across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Tommy Bridges are walks per nine (3.80 to 4.15). By rate, Tommy Bridges struck out 5.33 and walked 3.80 per nine innings; Bob Feller struck out 6.07 and walked 4.15. Tommy Bridges was mainly a starter (362 starts in 424 games), and Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games). Bob Feller allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.32 WHIP to Tommy Bridges's 1.37.
Tommy Bridges vs Bob Feller: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tommy Bridges or Bob Feller?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Feller leads Tommy Bridges in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Tommy Bridges's 3.57.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Feller, with 266 to Tommy Bridges's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Tommy Bridges's 1,674.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Feller, with 1.32 to Tommy Bridges's 1.37.