Steve Carlton vs Jerry Koosman: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Jerry Koosman played 1967–1985 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 Jerry Koosman (1967–1985) — both debuted in the 1960s. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Jerry Koosman finished with 222 wins and 2,556 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Steve Carlton, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Jerry Koosman's 3.36.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Jerry Koosman's 222.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Jerry Koosman's 2,556.
- Who had the better WHIP? Steve Carlton, with 1.25 to Jerry Koosman's 1.26.
- How many innings did each pitch? Steve Carlton 5,217.1, Jerry Koosman 3,839.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Jerry Koosman's 33.
Steve Carlton
Jerry Koosman
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 | Jerry Koosman |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 222 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 209 |
| Games not scored | 741 | 612 |
| Games Started not scored | 709 | 527 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 140 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 33 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 17 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 2,556 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 1,198 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 290 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,217.1 | 3,839.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.22 | 3.36 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.25 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 5.99 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.81 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Jerry Koosman 76,502 to 42,939 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,188 PIV per season to 2,260, 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)
Jerry Koosman — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Steve Carlton leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Jerry Koosman leads 1: 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 Jerry Koosman careers compare
The careers of Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Jerry Koosman (1967–1985) overlapped from 1967 to 1985, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 741 games for Steve Carlton and 612 for Jerry Koosman across 24 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Jerry Koosman are walks per nine (2.81 to 3.16). The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 5.99 and 2.81 for Jerry Koosman. Both had the same role: Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games); Jerry Koosman was mainly a starter (527 starts in 612 games).
Steve Carlton vs Jerry Koosman: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Jerry Koosman?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Jerry Koosman in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Jerry Koosman's 3.36.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Jerry Koosman's 222.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Jerry Koosman's 2,556.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Steve Carlton, with 1.25 to Jerry Koosman's 1.26.