Jim Bunning vs Carl Hubbell: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning and Carl Hubbell are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 as a pitcher; Carl Hubbell played 1928–1943 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 Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Bunning finished with 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Jim Bunning's 224.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Jim Bunning's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Bunning, with 3,760.1 to Carl Hubbell's 3,590.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Bunning, with 40 to Carl Hubbell's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Carl Hubbell, with 54,753 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Bunning's 44,929.
Jim Bunning
Carl Hubbell
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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Bunning | Carl Hubbell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 224 | Leads: 253 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 154 |
| Games | Leads: 591 | 535 |
| Games Started | Leads: 519 | 431 |
| Complete Games | 151 | Leads: 260 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 36 |
| Saves | 16 | Leads: 33 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 1,677 |
| Walks not scored | 1,000 | 725 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,433 | 3,461 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 372 | 227 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,760.1 | 3,590.1 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 2.98 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.83 | 4.20 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | Leads: 1.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Hubbell leads Jim Bunning 54,753 to 44,929 — driven by per-season impact — 3,422 PIV per season to 2,496 — rather than by longevity, since Carl Hubbell played 16 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)
Carl Hubbell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Hubbell leads in wins, ERA, and WHIP, while Jim Bunning owns strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Hubbell. PIV agrees: Carl Hubbell 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 Carl Hubbell careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Carl Hubbell's ended in 1943, and Jim Bunning debuted in 1955. The two careers are close in length, 591 games for Jim Bunning and 535 for Carl Hubbell across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Jim Bunning struck out 6.83 and walked 2.39 per nine innings; Carl Hubbell struck out 4.20 and walked 1.82. Both had the same role: Jim Bunning was mainly a starter (519 starts in 591 games); Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games). Carl Hubbell allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.17 WHIP to Jim Bunning's 1.18.
Jim Bunning vs Carl Hubbell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Jim Bunning's 224.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Jim Bunning's 1.18.