Jacob deGrom vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
Sandy Koufax 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). Jacob deGrom has played 2014–present as a pitcher; Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 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
Jacob deGrom (2014–present) and Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Sandy Koufax's 2.76.
- Who won more games? Sandy Koufax, with 165 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Sandy Koufax's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Sandy Koufax, with 2,324.1 to Jacob deGrom's 1,702.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sandy Koufax, with 40 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Jacob deGrom's 58,656.
Jacob deGrom
Sandy Koufax
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 2010s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Jacob deGrom is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jacob deGrom | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | Leads: 165 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 87 |
| Games | 279 | Leads: 397 |
| Games Started | 279 | Leads: 314 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 137 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 40 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 9 |
| Strikeouts | 2,052 | Leads: 2,396 |
| Walks not scored | 391 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,312 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 166 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,702.1 | Leads: 2,324.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.73 | 2.76 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.85 | 9.28 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.07 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax edges Jacob deGrom 63,020 to 58,656 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 4,888 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Jacob deGrom's 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).
Jacob deGrom — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Sandy Koufax — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sandy Koufax leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Jacob deGrom owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sandy Koufax. PIV agrees: Sandy Koufax grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jacob deGrom and Sandy Koufax careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Sandy Koufax's ended in 1966, and Jacob deGrom debuted in 2014. The two careers are close in length, 279 games for Jacob deGrom and 397 for Sandy Koufax across 12 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jacob deGrom's edges on the table are ERA (2.73 to 2.76), WHIP (1.00 to 1.11), and strikeouts per nine (10.85 to 9.28). The per-nine rows read 10.85 strikeouts and 2.07 walks for Jacob deGrom, 9.28 and 3.16 for Sandy Koufax. Both had the same role: Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games); Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games). Jacob deGrom's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Jacob deGrom vs Sandy Koufax: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jacob deGrom or Sandy Koufax?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sandy Koufax leads Jacob deGrom in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Sandy Koufax's 2.76.
- Who won more games?
- Sandy Koufax, with 165 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Sandy Koufax's 1.11.