Jim Bunning vs Steve Carlton: Career Stats Comparison
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.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Jim Bunning | Steve Carlton |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 224 | 329 |
| Losses | 184 | 244 |
| Games | 591 | 741 |
| Games Started | 519 | 709 |
| Complete Games | 151 | 254 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 55 |
| Saves | 16 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 2,855 | 4,136 |
| Walks | 1,000 | 1,833 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 | 4,672 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 | 414 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,760 | 5,217 |
| ERA | 3.27 | 3.22 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 6.83 | 7.13 |
| BB/9 | 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.