Mike Cuellar vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mike Cuellar played 1959–1977 as a pitcher; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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
Mike Cuellar (1959–1977) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Mike Cuellar finished with 185 wins and 1,632 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Mike Cuellar's 3.14.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Mike Cuellar's 185.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Mike Cuellar's 1,632.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Mike Cuellar's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Mike Cuellar's 2,808.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Mike Cuellar's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mike Cuellar, with 19,691 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Mike Cuellar
Jim Palmer
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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mike Cuellar | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 185 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 130 | 152 |
| Games | 453 | Leads: 558 |
| Games Started | 379 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 172 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 36 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 11 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | 1,632 | Leads: 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 822 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,538 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 222 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,808.0 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.14 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.23 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.63 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Cuellar edges Jim Palmer 19,691 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 1,313 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Cuellar played 15 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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).
Mike Cuellar — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Mike Cuellar owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades Mike Cuellar ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mike Cuellar and Jim Palmer careers compare
From 1965 through 1977, Mike Cuellar and Jim Palmer were in the majors together. With 453 games against 558 across 15 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Mike Cuellar comes out ahead, it is in saves (11 to 4), strikeouts per nine (5.23 to 5.04), and walks per nine (2.63 to 2.99). The per-nine rows read 5.23 strikeouts and 2.63 walks for Mike Cuellar, 5.04 and 2.99 for Jim Palmer. Both had the same role: Mike Cuellar was mainly a starter (379 starts in 453 games); Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Mike Cuellar's 1.20.
Mike Cuellar vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mike Cuellar or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Mike Cuellar in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Mike Cuellar's 3.14.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Mike Cuellar's 185.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Mike Cuellar's 1,632.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Mike Cuellar's 1.20.