Jim Bunning vs Jacob deGrom: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 as a pitcher; Jacob deGrom has played 2014–present 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 Jacob deGrom (2014–present) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Bunning finished with 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Jim Bunning, with 224 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Jim Bunning's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Bunning, with 3,760.1 to Jacob deGrom's 1,702.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Bunning, with 40 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jacob deGrom, with 58,656 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Bunning's 44,929.
Jim Bunning
Jacob deGrom
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, and the 1950s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Jacob deGrom is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jim Bunning | Jacob deGrom |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 224 | 107 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 76 |
| Games | Leads: 591 | 279 |
| Games Started | Leads: 519 | 279 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 151 | 4 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 2 |
| Saves | Leads: 16 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 2,052 |
| Walks not scored | 1,000 | 391 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,433 | 1,312 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 372 | 166 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,760.1 | 1,702.1 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 2.73 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 6.83 | Leads: 10.85 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | Leads: 2.07 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jacob deGrom leads Jim Bunning 58,656 to 44,929 — driven by per-season impact — 4,888 PIV per season to 2,496 — rather than by longevity, since Jacob deGrom played 12 seasons to Jim Bunning's 18. 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).
Jim Bunning — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jacob deGrom — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jacob deGrom leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Jim Bunning owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jacob deGrom. PIV agrees: Jacob deGrom grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Bunning and Jacob deGrom careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Jim Bunning's ended in 1971, and Jacob deGrom debuted in 2014. The table compares 591 games of Jim Bunning with 279 of Jacob deGrom across 18 and 12 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Jacob deGrom comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.73 to 3.27), WHIP (1.00 to 1.18), and strikeouts per nine (10.85 to 6.83). By rate, Jim Bunning struck out 6.83 and walked 2.39 per nine innings; Jacob deGrom struck out 10.85 and walked 2.07. Jim Bunning was mainly a starter (519 starts in 591 games), and Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games). Jacob deGrom's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Jim Bunning vs Jacob deGrom: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bunning or Jacob deGrom?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Bunning leads Jacob deGrom in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Bunning, with 224 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Jim Bunning's 1.18.