Steve Carlton vs Carl Hubbell: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Carl Hubbell played 1928–1943 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 Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Carl Hubbell's 253.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Carl Hubbell's 3,590.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Carl Hubbell's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Carl Hubbell's 54,753.
Steve Carlton
Carl Hubbell
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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Carl Hubbell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 253 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 154 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 535 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 431 |
| Complete Games | 254 | Leads: 260 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 36 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 33 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 1,677 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 725 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 3,461 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 227 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 3,590.1 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 2.98 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 4.20 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 1.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Carl Hubbell 76,502 to 54,753 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Steve Carlton played 27 seasons to Carl Hubbell's 16, while Carl Hubbell carries the higher per-season figure (3,422 to 2,833). 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)
Carl Hubbell — 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 Carl Hubbell 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 Carl Hubbell careers compare
No season is shared: Carl Hubbell played 1928–1943, Steve Carlton 1965–1988. With 741 games against 535 across 27 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Carl Hubbell struck out 4.20 and walked 1.82. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games). Carl Hubbell allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.17 WHIP to Steve Carlton's 1.25. Carl Hubbell owns the better peak by ERA: 1.97 ERA in 1972 for Steve Carlton against 1.66 ERA in 1933 for Carl Hubbell.
Steve Carlton vs Carl Hubbell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Carl Hubbell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Carl Hubbell in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Carl Hubbell's 253.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.