Steve Carlton vs J. R. Richard: 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; J. R. Richard played 1971–1980 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 J. R. Richard (1971–1980) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1970s respectively and share 10 seasons. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; J. R. Richard finished with 107 wins and 1,493 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? J. R. Richard, with 3.15 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to J. R. Richard's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to J. R. Richard's 1,493.
- Who had the better WHIP? J. R. Richard, with 1.24 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- How many innings did each pitch? Steve Carlton 5,217.1, J. R. Richard 1,606.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to J. R. Richard's 19.
Steve Carlton
J. R. Richard
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 | J. R. Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 107 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 71 |
| Games not scored | 741 | 238 |
| Games Started not scored | 709 | 221 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 76 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 19 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 1,493 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 770 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 1,227 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 73 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 5,217.1 | 1,606.0 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 3.15 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.24 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 8.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.16 | 4.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces J. R. Richard 76,502 to 38,918 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Steve Carlton played 24 seasons to J. R. Richard's 10, while J. R. Richard carries the higher per-season figure (3,892 to 3,188). 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)
J. R. Richard — 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. J. R. Richard leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts 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 J. R. Richard careers compare
From 1971 through 1980, Steve Carlton and J. R. Richard were in the majors together. Steve Carlton has the far longer record, 741 games against 238 across 24 and 10 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. J. R. Richard's edges on the table are ERA (3.15 to 3.22), WHIP (1.24 to 1.25), and strikeouts per nine (8.37 to 7.13). The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 8.37 and 4.32 for J. R. Richard. Both had the same role: Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games); J. R. Richard was mainly a starter (221 starts in 238 games).
Steve Carlton vs J. R. Richard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or J. R. Richard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads J. R. Richard in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- J. R. Richard, with 3.15 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to J. R. Richard's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to J. R. Richard's 1,493.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- J. R. Richard, with 1.24 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.