Steve Carlton vs Bob Welch: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Bob Welch played 1978–1994 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 Bob Welch (1978–1994) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Bob Welch finished with 211 wins and 1,969 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Bob Welch's 3.47.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Bob Welch's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Bob Welch's 1,969.
- Who had the better WHIP? Steve Carlton, with 1.25 to Bob Welch's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Bob Welch's 3,092.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Bob Welch's 28.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Welch's 15,932.
Steve Carlton
Bob Welch
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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Bob Welch |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 211 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 146 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 506 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 462 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 61 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 28 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 8 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 1,969 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 1,034 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 2,894 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 267 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 3,092.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.22 | 3.47 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.25 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 5.73 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 3.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Bob Welch 76,502 to 15,932 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,833 PIV per season to 937, across 27 seasons to 17. 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)
Bob Welch — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Welch owns no headline categories. 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.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Bob Welch careers compare
From 1978 through 1988, Steve Carlton and Bob Welch were in the majors together. With 741 games against 506 across 27 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Bob Welch are saves (8 to 2) and walks per nine (3.01 to 3.16). The per-nine rows read 7.13 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Steve Carlton, 5.73 and 3.01 for Bob Welch. Both had the same role: Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games); Bob Welch was mainly a starter (462 starts in 506 games). The complete-game row, 254 against 61, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Steve Carlton vs Bob Welch: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Bob Welch?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Bob Welch in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to Bob Welch's 3.47.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Bob Welch's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Bob Welch's 1,969.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Steve Carlton, with 1.25 to Bob Welch's 1.27.