Steve Carlton vs Sam McDowell: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Sam McDowell (1961–1975) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Steve Carlton compiled 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Sam McDowell put up 141 wins and 2,453 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Steve Carlton
Sam McDowell
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 | Sam McDowell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 329 | 141 |
| Losses | 244 | 134 |
| Games | 741 | 425 |
| Games Started | 709 | 346 |
| Complete Games | 254 | 103 |
| Shutouts | 55 | 23 |
| Saves | 2 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | 4,136 | 2,453 |
| Walks | 1,833 | 1,312 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,672 | 1,948 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 414 | 164 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,217 | 2,492 |
| ERA | 3.22 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | 8.86 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | 4.74 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Sam McDowell 76,502 to 29,989 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,833 vs 1,874 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)
Sam McDowell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Sam McDowell owns ERA 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.