Steve Carlton vs Fergie Jenkins: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 5 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; Fergie Jenkins played 1965–1983 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 Fergie Jenkins (1965–1983) — both debuted in the 1960s. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Fergie Jenkins finished with 284 wins and 3,192 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Steve Carlton, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Fergie Jenkins's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Fergie Jenkins's 284.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Fergie Jenkins's 3,192.
- Who had the better WHIP? Fergie Jenkins, with 1.14 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- How many innings did each pitch? Steve Carlton 5,217.1, Fergie Jenkins 4,500.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Fergie Jenkins's 49.
Steve Carlton
Fergie Jenkins
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 | Fergie Jenkins |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 284 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 226 |
| Games not scored | 741 | 664 |
| Games Started not scored | 709 | 594 |
| Complete Games | 254 | Leads: 267 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 49 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 7 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 3,192 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 997 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 4,142 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 484 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,217.1 | 4,500.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.22 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 6.38 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 1.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Fergie Jenkins 76,502 to 40,614 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,188 PIV per season to 2,138, across 24 seasons to 19. 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)
Fergie Jenkins — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Steve Carlton leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Fergie Jenkins leads 3: complete games, 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 Fergie Jenkins careers compare
The careers of Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Fergie Jenkins (1965–1983) overlapped from 1965 to 1983, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 741 games against 664 across 24 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Fergie Jenkins are complete games (267 to 254), WHIP (1.14 to 1.25), and walks per nine (1.99 to 3.16). By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Fergie Jenkins struck out 6.38 and walked 1.99. Both had the same role: Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games); Fergie Jenkins was mainly a starter (594 starts in 664 games).
Steve Carlton vs Fergie Jenkins: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Fergie Jenkins?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Fergie Jenkins in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Fergie Jenkins's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Fergie Jenkins's 284.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Fergie Jenkins's 3,192.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 1.14 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.