Roger Clemens vs Randy Johnson: Career Stats Comparison
Roger Clemens has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Randy Johnson played 1988–2009 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 Randy Johnson (1988–2009) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Roger Clemens finished with 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts; Randy Johnson finished with 303 wins and 4,875 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 Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Roger Clemens, with 354 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Roger Clemens's 4,672.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Roger Clemens, with 4,916.2 to Randy Johnson's 4,135.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roger Clemens, with 46 to Randy Johnson's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roger Clemens, with 146,187 career Pitcher PIV to Randy Johnson's 122,530.
Roger Clemens
Randy Johnson
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roger Clemens | Randy Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 354 | 303 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 166 |
| Games | Leads: 709 | 618 |
| Games Started | Leads: 707 | 603 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 118 | 100 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 46 | 37 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 2 |
| Strikeouts | 4,672 | Leads: 4,875 |
| Walks not scored | 1,580 | 1,497 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,185 | 3,346 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 363 | 411 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,916.2 | 4,135.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.12 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | 8.55 | Leads: 10.61 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.89 | 3.26 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens leads Randy Johnson 146,187 to 122,530 — driven by per-season impact — 6,091 PIV per season to 5,105 — rather than by longevity, since Roger Clemens played 24 seasons to Randy Johnson's 24. 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)
Randy Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roger Clemens leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Randy Johnson owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. 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 Randy Johnson careers compare
Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson were active at the same time between 1988 and 2007. The two careers are close in length, 709 games for Roger Clemens and 618 for Randy Johnson across 24 and 24 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Randy Johnson's edges on the table are saves (2 to 0), strikeouts (4,875 to 4,672), and WHIP (1.17 to 1.17). The per-nine rows read 8.55 strikeouts and 2.89 walks for Roger Clemens, 10.61 and 3.26 for Randy Johnson. Both had the same role: Roger Clemens was mainly a starter (707 starts in 709 games); Randy Johnson was mainly a starter (603 starts in 618 games).
Roger Clemens vs Randy Johnson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Clemens or Randy Johnson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roger Clemens leads Randy Johnson in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Randy Johnson's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Roger Clemens, with 354 to Randy Johnson's 303.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Roger Clemens's 4,672.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.17.