Jim Bunning vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning has the better career line of the two, leading 4 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; Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 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 Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — both debuted in the 1950s. Jim Bunning finished with 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jim Bunning, in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Jim Bunning, with 224 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Jim Bunning's 1.18.
- How many innings did each pitch? Jim Bunning 3,760.1, Sandy Koufax 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 40.
Jim Bunning
Sandy Koufax
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 | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 224 | 165 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 87 |
| Games not scored | 591 | 397 |
| Games Started not scored | 519 | 314 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 151 | 137 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 40 |
| Saves not scored | 16 | 9 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,855 | 2,396 |
| Walks not scored | 1,000 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,433 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 372 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,760.1 | 2,324.1 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 6.83 | Leads: 9.28 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.39 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Jim Bunning 63,020 to 44,929 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 2,643 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Jim Bunning's 17. 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)
Sandy Koufax — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Jim Bunning leads 4 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, strikeouts, and walks per nine. Sandy Koufax leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. 1 is tied. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Bunning. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Sandy Koufax higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Bunning and Sandy Koufax careers compare
From 1955 through 1966, Jim Bunning and Sandy Koufax were in the majors together. With 591 games against 397 across 17 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Sandy Koufax comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.76 to 3.27), WHIP (1.11 to 1.18), and strikeouts per nine (9.28 to 6.83). The per-nine rows read 6.83 strikeouts and 2.39 walks for Jim Bunning, 9.28 and 3.16 for Sandy Koufax. Jim Bunning was mainly a starter (519 starts in 591 games), and Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games). In WHIP, Sandy Koufax's 1.11 beats Jim Bunning's 1.18.
Jim Bunning vs Sandy Koufax: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bunning or Sandy Koufax?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Bunning leads Sandy Koufax in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Bunning, with 224 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Bunning, with 2,855 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Jim Bunning's 1.18.