Jim Bunning vs Nolan Ryan: Career Stats Comparison
Nolan Ryan has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Bunning played 1955–1971 as a pitcher; Nolan Ryan played 1966–1993 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 Nolan Ryan (1966–1993) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Bunning finished with 224 wins and 2,855 strikeouts; Nolan Ryan finished with 324 wins and 5,714 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Nolan Ryan, with 3.19 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games? Nolan Ryan, with 324 to Jim Bunning's 224.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Jim Bunning's 2,855.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Nolan Ryan, with 5,386.0 to Jim Bunning's 3,760.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Nolan Ryan, with 61 to Jim Bunning's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Nolan Ryan, with 111,223 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Bunning's 44,929.
Jim Bunning
Nolan Ryan
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. 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, and the 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Bunning | Nolan Ryan |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 224 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 292 |
| Games | 591 | Leads: 807 |
| Games Started | 519 | Leads: 773 |
| Complete Games | 151 | Leads: 222 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | Leads: 16 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | 2,855 | Leads: 5,714 |
| Walks not scored | 1,000 | 2,795 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,433 | 3,923 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 372 | 321 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,760.1 | Leads: 5,386.0 |
| ERA | 3.27 | Leads: 3.19 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 6.83 | Leads: 9.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.39 | 4.67 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nolan Ryan outpaces Jim Bunning 111,223 to 44,929 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,119 PIV per season to 2,496, across 27 seasons to 18. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
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)
Nolan Ryan — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nolan Ryan leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Jim Bunning owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nolan Ryan. PIV agrees: Nolan Ryan 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 Nolan Ryan careers compare
Jim Bunning and Nolan Ryan were active at the same time between 1966 and 1971. The two careers are close in length, 591 games for Jim Bunning and 807 for Nolan Ryan across 18 and 27 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jim Bunning comes out ahead, it is in saves (16 to 3), WHIP (1.18 to 1.25), and walks per nine (2.39 to 4.67). By rate, Jim Bunning struck out 6.83 and walked 2.39 per nine innings; Nolan Ryan struck out 9.55 and walked 4.67. Jim Bunning was mainly a starter (519 starts in 591 games), and Nolan Ryan was mainly a starter (773 starts in 807 games).
Jim Bunning vs Nolan Ryan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Bunning or Nolan Ryan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nolan Ryan leads Jim Bunning in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Nolan Ryan, with 3.19 to Jim Bunning's 3.27.
- Who won more games?
- Nolan Ryan, with 324 to Jim Bunning's 224.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Jim Bunning's 2,855.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Bunning, with 1.18 to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.