Jim Bunning vs Tommy John: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 as a pitcher; Tommy John played 1963–1989 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 Tommy John (1963–1989) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 9 seasons. Jim Bunning finished with 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Tommy John finished with 288 wins and 2,245 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jim Bunning, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Bunning, with 3.27 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Tommy John, with 288 to Jim Bunning's 224.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Tommy John's 2,245.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Tommy John's 1.28.
- How many innings did each pitch? Jim Bunning 3,760.1, Tommy John 4,710.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tommy John, with 46 to Jim Bunning's 40.
Jim Bunning
Tommy John
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Bunning | Tommy John |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 224 | Leads: 288 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 231 |
| Games not scored | 591 | 760 |
| Games Started not scored | 519 | 700 |
| Complete Games | 151 | Leads: 162 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 46 |
| Saves not scored | 16 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 2,245 |
| Walks not scored | 1,000 | 1,259 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,433 | 4,783 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 372 | 302 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,760.1 | 4,710.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.27 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.83 | 4.29 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.39 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Bunning leads Tommy John 44,929 to 39,802 — driven by per-season impact — 2,643 PIV per season to 1,531 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Bunning played 17 seasons to Tommy John's 26. 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)
Tommy John — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Jim Bunning leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. Tommy John leads 3: wins, complete games, and shutouts. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Bunning. PIV agrees: Jim Bunning 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 Tommy John careers compare
The careers of Jim Bunning (1955–1971) and Tommy John (1963–1989) overlapped from 1963 to 1971, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 591 games for Jim Bunning and 760 for Tommy John across 17 and 26 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Tommy John's edges on the table are wins (288 to 224), complete games (162 to 151), and shutouts (46 to 40). By rate, Jim Bunning struck out 6.83 and walked 2.39 per nine innings; Tommy John struck out 4.29 and walked 2.41.
Jim Bunning vs Tommy John: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bunning or Tommy John?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Bunning leads Tommy John in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Bunning, with 3.27 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Tommy John, with 288 to Jim Bunning's 224.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Tommy John's 2,245.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Tommy John's 1.28.