Steve Carlton vs Jon Matlack: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 5 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; Jon Matlack played 1971–1983 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 Jon Matlack (1971–1983) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1970s respectively and share 13 seasons. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Jon Matlack finished with 125 wins and 1,516 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Steve Carlton, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Jon Matlack, with 3.18 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Jon Matlack's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Jon Matlack's 1,516.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jon Matlack, with 1.23 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- How many innings did each pitch? Steve Carlton 5,217.1, Jon Matlack 2,363.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Jon Matlack's 30.
Steve Carlton
Jon Matlack
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 | Jon Matlack |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 125 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 126 |
| Games not scored | 741 | 361 |
| Games Started not scored | 709 | 318 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 97 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 30 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 1,516 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 638 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 2,276 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 161 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,217.1 | 2,363.0 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 3.18 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.23 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 5.77 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.43 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Jon Matlack 76,502 to 38,811 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,188 PIV per season to 2,985, across 24 seasons to 13. 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)
Jon Matlack — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Steve Carlton leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Jon Matlack leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and 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 Jon Matlack careers compare
From 1971 through 1983, Steve Carlton and Jon Matlack were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Steve Carlton appeared in 741 games to Jon Matlack's 361. The green cells for Jon Matlack are ERA (3.18 to 3.22), WHIP (1.23 to 1.25), and walks per nine (2.43 to 3.16). The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 5.77 and 2.43 for Jon Matlack. Both had the same role: Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games); Jon Matlack was mainly a starter (318 starts in 361 games).
Steve Carlton vs Jon Matlack: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Jon Matlack?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Jon Matlack in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jon Matlack, with 3.18 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Jon Matlack's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Jon Matlack's 1,516.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jon Matlack, with 1.23 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.