Steve Carlton vs Sandy Koufax: 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; Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 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 Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Sandy Koufax's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Sandy Koufax's 63,020.
Steve Carlton
Sandy Koufax
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 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 165 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 87 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 397 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 314 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 137 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 40 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 9 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 2,396 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 2,324.1 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 9.28 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.16 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton leads Sandy Koufax 76,502 to 63,020 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Steve Carlton played 27 seasons to Sandy Koufax's 12, while Sandy Koufax carries the higher per-season figure (5,252 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)
Sandy Koufax — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Sandy Koufax owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. 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 Sandy Koufax careers compare
From 1965 through 1966, Steve Carlton and Sandy Koufax were in the majors together. The table compares 741 games of Steve Carlton with 397 of Sandy Koufax across 27 and 12 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Sandy Koufax are saves (9 to 2), ERA (2.76 to 3.22), and WHIP (1.11 to 1.25). The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 9.28 and 3.16 for Sandy Koufax. Both had the same role: Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games); Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games).
Steve Carlton vs Sandy Koufax: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Sandy Koufax?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Sandy Koufax in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.