Steve Carlton vs Ron Guidry: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton 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; Ron Guidry played 1975–1988 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 Ron Guidry (1975–1988) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1970s respectively and share 14 seasons. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Ron Guidry finished with 170 wins and 1,778 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Steve Carlton, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Ron Guidry's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Ron Guidry's 170.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Ron Guidry's 1,778.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ron Guidry, with 1.18 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- How many innings did each pitch? Steve Carlton 5,217.1, Ron Guidry 2,392.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Ron Guidry's 26.
Steve Carlton
Ron Guidry
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 | Ron Guidry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 170 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 91 |
| Games not scored | 741 | 368 |
| Games Started not scored | 709 | 323 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 95 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 26 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 1,778 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 633 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 2,198 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,217.1 | 2,392.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.22 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 6.69 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.38 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Ron Guidry 76,502 to 37,878 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,188 PIV per season to 2,706, across 24 seasons to 14. 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)
Ron Guidry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Steve Carlton leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Ron Guidry leads 2: WHIP and walks per nine. 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 Ron Guidry careers compare
Steve Carlton and Ron Guidry were active at the same time between 1975 and 1988. The table compares 741 games of Steve Carlton with 368 of Ron Guidry across 24 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Ron Guidry comes out ahead, it is in WHIP (1.18 to 1.25) and walks per nine (2.38 to 3.16). By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Ron Guidry struck out 6.69 and walked 2.38. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Ron Guidry was mainly a starter (323 starts in 368 games).
Steve Carlton vs Ron Guidry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Ron Guidry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Ron Guidry in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Ron Guidry's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Ron Guidry's 170.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Ron Guidry's 1,778.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ron Guidry, with 1.18 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.