Steve Carlton vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Warren Spahn has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 as a pitcher; Warren Spahn played 1942–1965 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 Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Warren Spahn finished with 363 wins and 2,583 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Steve Carlton's 329.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Warren Spahn's 2,583.
- Who had the better WHIP? Warren Spahn, with 1.19 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Warren Spahn, with 5,243.2 to Steve Carlton's 5,217.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Steve Carlton's 55.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Warren Spahn's 63,558.
Steve Carlton
Warren Spahn
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. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1960s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 329 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 245 |
| Games | 741 | Leads: 750 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 665 |
| Complete Games | 254 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 55 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,217.1 | Leads: 5,243.2 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 3.09 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 4.43 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton leads Warren Spahn 76,502 to 63,558 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Steve Carlton played 27 seasons to Warren Spahn's 22, while Warren Spahn carries the higher per-season figure (2,889 to 2,833). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
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)
Warren Spahn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Warren Spahn leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Steve Carlton owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Warren Spahn. Note that PIV actually grades Steve Carlton ahead, which means Warren Spahn's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Warren Spahn careers compare
From 1965 through 1965, Steve Carlton and Warren Spahn were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 741 games for Steve Carlton and 750 for Warren Spahn across 27 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Steve Carlton are starts (709 to 665), strikeouts (4,136 to 2,583), and strikeouts per nine (7.13 to 4.43). The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 4.43 and 2.46 for Warren Spahn. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Warren Spahn was mainly a starter (665 starts in 750 games).
Steve Carlton vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Warren Spahn leads Steve Carlton in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Steve Carlton's 329.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Warren Spahn's 2,583.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Warren Spahn, with 1.19 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.