Steve Carlton vs Juan Marichal: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 as a pitcher; Juan Marichal played 1960–1975 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 Juan Marichal (1960–1975) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Steve Carlton compiled 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Juan Marichal put up 243 wins and 2,303 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Juan Marichal, with 2.89 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Juan Marichal's 243.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP? Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217 to Juan Marichal's 3,507.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Juan Marichal's 52.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Juan Marichal's 48,870.
Steve Carlton
Juan Marichal
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Juan Marichal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 243 |
| Losses | 244 | 142 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 471 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 457 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 244 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 52 |
| Saves | 2 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 2,303 |
| Walks | 1,833 | 709 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,672 | 3,153 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 414 | 320 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217 | 3,507 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 2.89 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 5.91 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 1.82 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Juan Marichal 76,502 to 48,870 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,833 vs 3,054 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)
Juan Marichal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Juan Marichal owns ERA and WHIP. 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
Steve Carlton vs Juan Marichal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Juan Marichal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Juan Marichal in 8 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Juan Marichal, with 2.89 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Juan Marichal's 243.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.