Jim Bunning vs Steve Carlton: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 as a pitcher; Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 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
Jim Bunning (1955–1971) and Steve Carlton (1965–1988) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Bunning compiled 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Steve Carlton put up 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Jim Bunning's 224.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Jim Bunning's 2,855.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217 to Jim Bunning's 3,760.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Jim Bunning's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Bunning's 44,929.
Jim Bunning
Steve Carlton
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Jim Bunning | Steve Carlton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 224 | Leads: 329 |
| Losses | 184 | 244 |
| Games | 591 | Leads: 741 |
| Games Started | 519 | Leads: 709 |
| Complete Games | 151 | Leads: 254 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 55 |
| Saves | Leads: 16 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 2,855 | Leads: 4,136 |
| Walks | 1,000 | 1,833 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 | 4,672 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 | 414 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,760 | Leads: 5,217 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 3.22 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 6.83 | Leads: 7.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.39 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Jim Bunning 76,502 to 44,929 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,833 vs 2,496 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).
Jim Bunning — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Steve Carlton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Jim Bunning owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. PIV agrees: Steve Carlton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Jim Bunning vs Steve Carlton: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bunning or Steve Carlton?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Jim Bunning in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Jim Bunning's 224.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Jim Bunning's 2,855.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.