Steve Carlton vs Christy Mathewson: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 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 Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Steve Carlton's 329.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Christy Mathewson's 2,507.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Christy Mathewson's 4,788.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Steve Carlton's 55.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career Pitcher PIV to Steve Carlton's 76,502.
Steve Carlton
Christy Mathewson
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 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Christy Mathewson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 329 | Leads: 373 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 188 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 636 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 552 |
| Complete Games | 254 | Leads: 435 |
| Shutouts | 55 | Leads: 79 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 2,507 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 848 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 4,219 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 90 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 4,788.2 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 2.13 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.06 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 4.71 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 1.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson edges Steve Carlton 82,446 to 76,502 — driven by per-season impact — 4,580 PIV per season to 2,833 — rather than by longevity, since Christy Mathewson played 18 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)
Christy Mathewson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Christy Mathewson leads in wins, ERA, and WHIP, while Steve Carlton owns strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Christy Mathewson. PIV agrees: Christy Mathewson 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 Christy Mathewson careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Christy Mathewson's ended in 1916, and Steve Carlton debuted in 1965. The two careers are close in length, 741 games for Steve Carlton and 636 for Christy Mathewson across 27 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Christy Mathewson struck out 4.71 and walked 1.59. Both had the same role: Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games); Christy Mathewson was mainly a starter (552 starts in 636 games). In WHIP, Christy Mathewson's 1.06 beats Steve Carlton's 1.25.
Steve Carlton vs Christy Mathewson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Christy Mathewson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Steve Carlton in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Steve Carlton's 329.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Christy Mathewson's 2,507.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.