Steve Carlton vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Steve Carlton compiled 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Tom Seaver put up 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Steve Carlton
Tom Seaver
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 | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 329 | 311 |
| Losses | 244 | 205 |
| Games | 741 | 656 |
| Games Started | 709 | 647 |
| Complete Games | 254 | 231 |
| Shutouts | 55 | 61 |
| Saves | 2 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 4,136 | 3,640 |
| Walks | 1,833 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,672 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 414 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,217 | 4,782 |
| ERA | 3.22 | 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | 6.85 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver edges Steve Carlton 79,192 to 76,502 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,600 vs 2,833 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)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Tom Seaver owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. Note that PIV actually grades Tom Seaver ahead, which means Steve Carlton's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.