Steve Carlton vs Randy Johnson: 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; Randy Johnson played 1988–2009 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 Randy Johnson (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Randy Johnson finished with 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Steve Carlton's 4,136.
- Who had the better WHIP? Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Randy Johnson's 4,135.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Randy Johnson's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Randy Johnson, with 122,530 career Pitcher PIV to Steve Carlton's 76,502.
Steve Carlton
Randy Johnson
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Randy Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 303 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 166 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 618 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 603 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 100 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 37 |
| Saves | 2 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 4,136 | Leads: 4,875 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 1,497 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 3,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 411 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 4,135.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.22 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 10.61 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.16 | 3.26 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Randy Johnson outpaces Steve Carlton 122,530 to 76,502 — driven by per-season impact — 5,105 PIV per season to 2,833 — rather than by longevity, since Randy Johnson played 24 seasons to Steve Carlton's 27. 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)
Randy Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Randy Johnson leads in strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Steve Carlton owns wins, ERA, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Randy Johnson. PIV agrees: Randy Johnson 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 Randy Johnson careers compare
From 1988 through 1988, Steve Carlton and Randy Johnson were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 741 games for Steve Carlton and 618 for Randy Johnson across 27 and 24 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Randy Johnson are strikeouts (4,875 to 4,136), WHIP (1.17 to 1.25), and strikeouts per nine (10.61 to 7.13). The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 10.61 and 3.26 for Randy Johnson. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Randy Johnson was mainly a starter (603 starts in 618 games).
Steve Carlton vs Randy Johnson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Randy Johnson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Randy Johnson in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Steve Carlton's 4,136.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.