Steve Carlton vs Mike Cuellar: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 as a pitcher; Mike Cuellar played 1959–1977 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 Mike Cuellar (1959–1977) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Mike Cuellar finished with 185 wins and 1,632 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mike Cuellar, with 3.14 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Mike Cuellar's 185.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Mike Cuellar's 1,632.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mike Cuellar, with 1.20 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Mike Cuellar's 2,808.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Mike Cuellar's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Mike Cuellar's 19,691.
Steve Carlton
Mike Cuellar
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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Mike Cuellar |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 185 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 130 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 453 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 379 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 172 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 36 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 11 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 1,632 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 822 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 2,538 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 222 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 2,808.0 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 3.14 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.20 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 5.23 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.63 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Mike Cuellar 76,502 to 19,691 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,833 PIV per season to 1,313, across 27 seasons to 15. 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)
Mike Cuellar — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Mike Cuellar owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. PIV agrees: Steve Carlton 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 Mike Cuellar careers compare
The careers of Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Mike Cuellar (1959–1977) overlapped from 1965 to 1977, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Steve Carlton appeared in 741 games to Mike Cuellar's 453. Mike Cuellar's edges on the table are saves (11 to 2), ERA (3.14 to 3.22), and WHIP (1.20 to 1.25). By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Mike Cuellar struck out 5.23 and walked 2.63.
Steve Carlton vs Mike Cuellar: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Mike Cuellar?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Mike Cuellar in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mike Cuellar, with 3.14 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Mike Cuellar's 185.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Mike Cuellar's 1,632.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mike Cuellar, with 1.20 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.