Steve Carlton vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
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 compiled 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Sandy Koufax put up 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 329 | 165 |
| Losses | 244 | 87 |
| Games | 741 | 397 |
| Games Started | 709 | 314 |
| Complete Games | 254 | 137 |
| Shutouts | 55 | 40 |
| Saves | 2 | 9 |
| Strikeouts | 4,136 | 2,396 |
| Walks | 1,833 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,672 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 414 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,217 | 2,324 |
| ERA | 3.22 | 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | 9.28 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton leads Sandy Koufax 76,502 to 63,020 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,833 vs 5,252 per year). 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)
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.