Jim Bunning vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning (1955–1971) and Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jim Bunning compiled 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Sandy Koufax put up 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Jim Bunning | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 224 | 165 |
| Losses | 184 | 87 |
| Games | 591 | 397 |
| Games Started | 519 | 314 |
| Complete Games | 151 | 137 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 40 |
| Saves | 16 | 9 |
| Strikeouts | 2,855 | 2,396 |
| Walks | 1,000 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,760 | 2,324 |
| ERA | 3.27 | 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | 6.83 | 9.28 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Jim Bunning 63,020 to 44,929 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,252 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)
Sandy Koufax — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sandy Koufax leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Jim Bunning owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sandy Koufax. PIV agrees: Sandy Koufax grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.