Roger Clemens vs Nolan Ryan: Career Stats Comparison
Roger Clemens (1984–2007) and Nolan Ryan (1966–1993) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Roger Clemens compiled 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts; Nolan Ryan put up 324 wins and 5,714 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Roger Clemens
Nolan Ryan
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Roger Clemens | Nolan Ryan |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 354 | 324 |
| Losses | 184 | 292 |
| Games | 709 | 807 |
| Games Started | 707 | 773 |
| Complete Games | 118 | 222 |
| Shutouts | 46 | 61 |
| Saves | 0 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | 4,672 | 5,714 |
| Walks | 1,580 | 2,795 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,185 | 3,923 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 363 | 321 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,916 | 5,386 |
| ERA | 3.12 | 3.19 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 8.55 | 9.55 |
| BB/9 | 2.89 | 4.67 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens leads Nolan Ryan 146,187 to 111,223 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (6,091 vs 4,119 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Nolan Ryan — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roger Clemens leads in wins, ERA, and WHIP, while Nolan Ryan owns strikeouts, K/9, and 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.