Ray Brown vs Eppa Rixey: Career Stats Comparison
Eppa Rixey has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ray Brown played ?–1945 as a pitcher; Eppa Rixey played 1912–1933 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
Ray Brown (?–1945) and Eppa Rixey (1912–1933) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Ray Brown finished with 123 wins and 726 strikeouts; Eppa Rixey finished with 266 wins and 1,350 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Eppa Rixey, with 3.15 to Ray Brown's 3.21.
- Who won more games? Eppa Rixey, with 266 to Ray Brown's 123.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eppa Rixey, with 1,350 to Ray Brown's 726.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ray Brown, with 1.24 to Eppa Rixey's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Eppa Rixey, with 4,494.2 to Ray Brown's 1,511.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eppa Rixey, with 37 to Ray Brown's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eppa Rixey, with 45,675 career Pitcher PIV to Ray Brown's 30,490.
Eppa Rixey
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 | Ray Brown | Eppa Rixey |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 123 | Leads: 266 |
| Losses not scored | 47 | 251 |
| Games | 224 | Leads: 692 |
| Games Started | 163 | Leads: 552 |
| Complete Games | 142 | Leads: 290 |
| Shutouts | 17 | Leads: 37 |
| Saves | Leads: 15 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | 726 | Leads: 1,350 |
| Walks not scored | 430 | 1,082 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,437 | 4,633 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 40 | 92 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,511.2 | Leads: 4,494.2 |
| ERA | 3.21 | Leads: 3.15 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.24 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.32 | 2.70 |
| BB/9 | 2.56 | Leads: 2.17 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eppa Rixey outpaces Ray Brown 45,675 to 30,490 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,175 PIV per season to 1,794, across 21 seasons to 17. 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).
Ray Brown — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Eppa Rixey — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eppa Rixey leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Ray Brown owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eppa Rixey. PIV agrees: Eppa Rixey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ray Brown and Eppa Rixey careers compare
Eppa Rixey (1912–1933) was finished before Ray Brown (?–1945) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Ray Brown appeared in 224 games to Eppa Rixey's 692. Where Ray Brown comes out ahead, it is in saves (15 to 14), WHIP (1.24 to 1.27), and strikeouts per nine (4.32 to 2.70). The per-nine rows read 4.32 strikeouts and 2.56 walks for Ray Brown, 2.70 and 2.17 for Eppa Rixey. Ray Brown was mainly a starter (163 starts in 224 games), and Eppa Rixey was mainly a starter (552 starts in 692 games). In WHIP, Ray Brown's 1.24 beats Eppa Rixey's 1.27.
Ray Brown vs Eppa Rixey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ray Brown or Eppa Rixey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eppa Rixey leads Ray Brown in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eppa Rixey, with 3.15 to Ray Brown's 3.21.
- Who won more games?
- Eppa Rixey, with 266 to Ray Brown's 123.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eppa Rixey, with 1,350 to Ray Brown's 726.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ray Brown, with 1.24 to Eppa Rixey's 1.27.