Jim Bunning vs Tommy John: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning and Tommy John are close to even, splitting the 12 statistical categories compared on this page 6–6. 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) — 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; Tommy John put up 288 wins and 2,245 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Tommy John, with 4,710 to Jim Bunning's 3,760.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tommy John, with 46 to Jim Bunning's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Bunning, with 44,929 career Pitcher PIV to Tommy John's 39,802.
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. 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 | Tommy John |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 224 | Leads: 288 |
| Losses | 184 | 231 |
| Games | 591 | Leads: 760 |
| Games Started | 519 | Leads: 700 |
| Complete Games | 151 | Leads: 162 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 46 |
| Saves | Leads: 16 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 2,245 |
| Walks | 1,000 | 1,259 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 | 4,783 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 | 302 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,760 | Leads: 4,710 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,496 vs 1,422 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)
Tommy John — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Bunning leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tommy John owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
Jim Bunning vs Tommy John: Frequently Asked Questions
- 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.