Roger Clemens vs Tommy John: Career Stats Comparison
Roger Clemens has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roger Clemens played 1984–2007 as a pitcher; Tommy John played 1963–1989 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
Roger Clemens (1984–2007) and Tommy John (1963–1989) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Roger Clemens finished with 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts; Tommy John finished with 288 wins and 2,245 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Roger Clemens, with 354 to Tommy John's 288.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Tommy John's 2,245.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Tommy John's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Roger Clemens, with 4,916.2 to Tommy John's 4,710.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 46.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roger Clemens, with 146,187 career Pitcher PIV to Tommy John's 39,802.
Roger Clemens
Tommy John
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 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roger Clemens | Tommy John |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 354 | 288 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 231 |
| Games | 709 | Leads: 760 |
| Games Started | Leads: 707 | 700 |
| Complete Games | 118 | Leads: 162 |
| Shutouts | 46 | 46 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,672 | 2,245 |
| Walks not scored | 1,580 | 1,259 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,185 | 4,783 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 363 | 302 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,916.2 | 4,710.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.12 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.55 | 4.29 |
| BB/9 | 2.89 | Leads: 2.41 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens outpaces Tommy John 146,187 to 39,802 — driven by per-season impact — 6,091 PIV per season to 1,422 — rather than by longevity, since Roger Clemens played 24 seasons to Tommy John's 28. 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).
Roger Clemens — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tommy John — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roger Clemens leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tommy John owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roger Clemens. PIV agrees: Roger Clemens grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Clemens and Tommy John careers compare
From 1984 through 1989, Roger Clemens and Tommy John were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 709 games for Roger Clemens and 760 for Tommy John across 24 and 28 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Tommy John comes out ahead, it is in games (760 to 709), complete games (162 to 118), and saves (4 to 0). By rate, Roger Clemens struck out 8.55 and walked 2.89 per nine innings; Tommy John struck out 4.29 and walked 2.41. Roger Clemens was mainly a starter (707 starts in 709 games), and Tommy John was mainly a starter (700 starts in 760 games).
Roger Clemens vs Tommy John: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Clemens or Tommy John?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roger Clemens leads Tommy John in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Roger Clemens, with 354 to Tommy John's 288.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Tommy John's 2,245.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Tommy John's 1.28.