Steve Carlton vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton and Gaylord Perry are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 as a pitcher; Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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 Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — both debuted in the 1960s. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Gaylord Perry's 314.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Gaylord Perry's 3,534.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- How many innings did each pitch? Steve Carlton 5,217.1, Gaylord Perry 5,350.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Gaylord Perry's 53.
Steve Carlton
Gaylord Perry
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 | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 314 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 265 |
| Games not scored | 741 | 777 |
| Games Started not scored | 709 | 690 |
| Complete Games | 254 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 53 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,217.1 | 5,350.1 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry edges Steve Carlton 78,312 to 76,502 — driven by per-season impact — 3,560 PIV per season to 3,188 — rather than by longevity, since Gaylord Perry played 22 seasons to Steve Carlton's 24. 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)
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Steve Carlton and Gaylord Perry split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Gaylord Perry higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Gaylord Perry careers compare
Steve Carlton and Gaylord Perry were active at the same time between 1965 and 1983. With 741 games against 777 across 24 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Gaylord Perry's edges on the table are complete games (303 to 254), ERA (3.11 to 3.22), and WHIP (1.18 to 1.25). The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 5.94 and 2.32 for Gaylord Perry. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games). In WHIP, Gaylord Perry's 1.18 beats Steve Carlton's 1.25.
Steve Carlton vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Gaylord Perry's 314.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Gaylord Perry's 3,534.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.