Jim Bunning vs Don Drysdale: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 as a pitcher; Don Drysdale played 1956–1969 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 Don Drysdale (1956–1969) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jim Bunning compiled 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Don Drysdale put up 209 wins and 2,486 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Jim Bunning, with 224 to Don Drysdale's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Don Drysdale's 2,486.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Drysdale, with 1.15 to Jim Bunning's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Bunning, with 3,760 to Don Drysdale's 3,432.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Drysdale, with 49 to Jim Bunning's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Don Drysdale, with 57,464 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Bunning's 44,929.
Jim Bunning
Don Drysdale
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 | Don Drysdale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 224 | 209 |
| Losses | 184 | 166 |
| Games | Leads: 591 | 518 |
| Games Started | Leads: 519 | 465 |
| Complete Games | 151 | Leads: 167 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 49 |
| Saves | Leads: 16 | 6 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 2,486 |
| Walks | 1,000 | 855 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 | 3,084 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 | 280 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,760 | 3,432 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 2.95 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.15 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.83 | 6.52 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | Leads: 2.24 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Drysdale leads Jim Bunning 57,464 to 44,929 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,105 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)
Don Drysdale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Bunning leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Don Drysdale owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Bunning. Note that PIV actually grades Don Drysdale ahead, which means Jim Bunning's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Jim Bunning vs Don Drysdale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bunning or Don Drysdale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Bunning leads Don Drysdale in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Bunning, with 224 to Don Drysdale's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Don Drysdale's 2,486.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Drysdale, with 1.15 to Jim Bunning's 1.18.