Steve Carlton vs Bob Gibson: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 as a pitcher; Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 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 Bob Gibson (1959–1975) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1950s respectively and share 11 seasons. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Bob Gibson, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Bob Gibson's 3,117.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- How many innings did each pitch? Steve Carlton 5,217.1, Bob Gibson 3,884.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Steve Carlton's 55.
Steve Carlton
Bob Gibson
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Bob Gibson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 251 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 174 |
| Games not scored | 741 | 528 |
| Games Started not scored | 709 | 482 |
| Complete Games | 254 | Leads: 255 |
| Shutouts | 55 | Leads: 56 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 6 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 3,117 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 1,336 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 3,279 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 257 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,217.1 | 3,884.1 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 2.91 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 7.22 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 3.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton leads Bob Gibson 76,502 to 69,720 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Steve Carlton played 24 seasons to Bob Gibson's 17, while Bob Gibson carries the higher per-season figure (4,101 to 3,188). 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).
Steve Carlton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bob Gibson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Bob Gibson leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, ERA, WHIP, and others. Steve Carlton leads 2: wins and strikeouts. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Gibson. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Steve Carlton higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Bob Gibson careers compare
Steve Carlton and Bob Gibson were active at the same time between 1965 and 1975. With 741 games against 528 across 24 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Steve Carlton are wins (329 to 251) and strikeouts (4,136 to 3,117). By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Bob Gibson struck out 7.22 and walked 3.10. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games). In WHIP, Bob Gibson's 1.19 beats Steve Carlton's 1.25.
Steve Carlton vs Bob Gibson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Bob Gibson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Steve Carlton in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Bob Gibson's 3,117.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.