Roger Clemens vs Jack McDowell: Career Stats Comparison
Roger Clemens 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). Roger Clemens played 1984–2007 as a pitcher; Jack McDowell played 1987–1999 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 Jack McDowell (1987–1999) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Roger Clemens finished with 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts; Jack McDowell finished with 127 wins and 1,311 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 Jack McDowell's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Roger Clemens, with 354 to Jack McDowell's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Jack McDowell's 1,311.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Jack McDowell's 1.30.
- Who pitched more innings? Roger Clemens, with 4,916.2 to Jack McDowell's 1,889.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roger Clemens, with 46 to Jack McDowell's 13.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roger Clemens, with 146,187 career Pitcher PIV to Jack McDowell's 17,001.
Roger Clemens
Jack McDowell
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 | Jack McDowell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 354 | 127 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 87 |
| Games | Leads: 709 | 277 |
| Games Started | Leads: 707 | 275 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 118 | 62 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 46 | 13 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,672 | 1,311 |
| Walks not scored | 1,580 | 606 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,185 | 1,854 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 363 | 173 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,916.2 | 1,889.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.12 | 3.85 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.30 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.55 | 6.25 |
| BB/9 | 2.89 | Leads: 2.89 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens outpaces Jack McDowell 146,187 to 17,001 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 6,091 PIV per season to 1,417, across 24 seasons to 12. 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)
Jack McDowell — 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 Jack McDowell 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 Jack McDowell careers compare
Roger Clemens and Jack McDowell were active at the same time between 1987 and 1999. Roger Clemens has the far longer record, 709 games against 277 across 24 and 12 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Jack McDowell comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (2.89 to 2.89). The per-nine rows read 8.55 strikeouts and 2.89 walks for Roger Clemens, 6.25 and 2.89 for Jack McDowell. Both had the same role: Roger Clemens was mainly a starter (707 starts in 709 games); Jack McDowell was mainly a starter (275 starts in 277 games). Roger Clemens allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.17 WHIP to Jack McDowell's 1.30.
Roger Clemens vs Jack McDowell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Clemens or Jack McDowell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roger Clemens leads Jack McDowell in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Jack McDowell's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Roger Clemens, with 354 to Jack McDowell's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Jack McDowell's 1,311.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Jack McDowell's 1.30.