Steve Carlton vs Roger Clemens: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton and Roger Clemens are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 as a pitcher; Roger Clemens played 1984–2007 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
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Roger Clemens (1984–2007) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Roger Clemens finished with 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Roger Clemens, with 354 to Steve Carlton's 329.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Steve Carlton's 4,136.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Roger Clemens's 4,916.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Roger Clemens's 46.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roger Clemens, with 146,187 career Pitcher PIV to Steve Carlton's 76,502.
Steve Carlton
Roger Clemens
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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Roger Clemens |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 329 | Leads: 354 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 184 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 709 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 707 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 118 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 46 |
| Saves | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 4,136 | Leads: 4,672 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 1,580 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 4,185 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 363 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 4,916.2 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 3.12 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 8.55 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.89 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens outpaces Steve Carlton 146,187 to 76,502 — driven by per-season impact — 6,091 PIV per season to 2,833 — rather than by longevity, since Roger Clemens played 24 seasons to Steve Carlton's 27. 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).
Steve Carlton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Roger Clemens — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roger Clemens leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Steve Carlton owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roger Clemens. PIV agrees: Roger Clemens grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Roger Clemens careers compare
The careers of Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Roger Clemens (1984–2007) overlapped from 1984 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 741 games against 709 across 27 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 8.55 and 2.89 for Roger Clemens. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Roger Clemens was mainly a starter (707 starts in 709 games). Roger Clemens allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.17 WHIP to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
Steve Carlton vs Roger Clemens: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Roger Clemens, with 354 to Steve Carlton's 329.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Steve Carlton's 4,136.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.