Jim Bunning vs Sam McDowell: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Bunning (1955–1971) and Sam McDowell (1961–1975) — 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; Sam McDowell put up 141 wins and 2,453 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Jim Bunning
Sam McDowell
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 | Sam McDowell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 224 | 141 |
| Losses | 184 | 134 |
| Games | 591 | 425 |
| Games Started | 519 | 346 |
| Complete Games | 151 | 103 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 23 |
| Saves | 16 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | 2,855 | 2,453 |
| Walks | 1,000 | 1,312 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,433 | 1,948 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 372 | 164 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,760 | 2,492 |
| ERA | 3.27 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 6.83 | 8.86 |
| BB/9 | 2.39 | 4.74 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Bunning outpaces Sam McDowell 44,929 to 29,989 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,496 vs 1,874 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)
Sam McDowell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Bunning leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Sam McDowell owns ERA and K/9. 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.