Roger Clemens vs Phil Niekro: 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; Phil Niekro played 1964–1987 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 Phil Niekro (1964–1987) — 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; Phil Niekro finished with 318 wins and 3,342 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 Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games? Roger Clemens, with 354 to Phil Niekro's 318.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Phil Niekro's 3,342.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Phil Niekro, with 5,404.1 to Roger Clemens's 4,916.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roger Clemens, with 46 to Phil Niekro's 45.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roger Clemens, with 146,187 career Pitcher PIV to Phil Niekro's 13,102.
Roger Clemens
Phil Niekro
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 | Phil Niekro |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 354 | 318 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 274 |
| Games | 709 | Leads: 864 |
| Games Started | 707 | Leads: 716 |
| Complete Games | 118 | Leads: 245 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 46 | 45 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,672 | 3,342 |
| Walks not scored | 1,580 | 1,809 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,185 | 5,044 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 363 | 482 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,916.2 | Leads: 5,404.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.12 | 3.35 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.55 | 5.57 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.89 | 3.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens outpaces Phil Niekro 146,187 to 13,102 — driven by per-season impact — 6,091 PIV per season to 504 — rather than by longevity, since Roger Clemens played 24 seasons to Phil Niekro's 26. 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)
Phil Niekro — 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 Phil Niekro owns innings pitched. 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 Phil Niekro careers compare
From 1984 through 1987, Roger Clemens and Phil Niekro were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 709 games for Roger Clemens and 864 for Phil Niekro across 24 and 26 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 8.55 strikeouts and 2.89 walks for Roger Clemens, 5.57 and 3.01 for Phil Niekro. Both had the same role: Roger Clemens was mainly a starter (707 starts in 709 games); Phil Niekro was mainly a starter (716 starts in 864 games). Roger Clemens allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.17 WHIP to Phil Niekro's 1.27.
Roger Clemens vs Phil Niekro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Clemens or Phil Niekro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roger Clemens leads Phil Niekro in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games?
- Roger Clemens, with 354 to Phil Niekro's 318.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Phil Niekro's 3,342.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.