Steve Carlton vs Ron Reed: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Ron Reed (1966–1984) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Steve Carlton compiled 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Ron Reed put up 146 wins and 1,481 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Steve Carlton
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 | Ron Reed |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 329 | 146 |
| Losses | 244 | 140 |
| Games | 741 | 751 |
| Games Started | 709 | 236 |
| Complete Games | 254 | 55 |
| Shutouts | 55 | 8 |
| Saves | 2 | 103 |
| Strikeouts | 4,136 | 1,481 |
| Walks | 1,833 | 633 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,672 | 2,374 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 414 | 182 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,217 | 2,477 |
| ERA | 3.22 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | 5.38 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | 2.30 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Ron Reed 76,502 to 29,032 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,833 vs 1,452 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)
Ron Reed — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Ron Reed owns 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.