Jacob deGrom vs Nolan Ryan: Career Stats Comparison
Nolan Ryan 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; Nolan Ryan played 1966–1993 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 Nolan Ryan (1966–1993) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 strikeouts through October 6, 2026; Nolan Ryan finished with 324 wins and 5,714 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 Nolan Ryan's 3.19.
- Who won more games? Nolan Ryan, with 324 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Nolan Ryan, with 5,386.0 to Jacob deGrom's 1,702.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Nolan Ryan, with 61 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Nolan Ryan, with 111,223 career Pitcher PIV to Jacob deGrom's 58,656.
Jacob deGrom
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. 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 1960s 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 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Jacob deGrom | Nolan Ryan |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 292 |
| Games | 279 | Leads: 807 |
| Games Started | 279 | Leads: 773 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 222 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | 2,052 | Leads: 5,714 |
| Walks not scored | 391 | 2,795 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,312 | 3,923 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 166 | 321 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,702.1 | Leads: 5,386.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.73 | 3.19 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.85 | 9.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.07 | 4.67 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nolan Ryan outpaces Jacob deGrom 111,223 to 58,656 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Nolan Ryan played 27 seasons to Jacob deGrom's 12, while Jacob deGrom carries the higher per-season figure (4,888 to 4,119). 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)
Nolan Ryan — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nolan Ryan 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 Nolan Ryan. PIV agrees: Nolan Ryan 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 Nolan Ryan careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Nolan Ryan's ended in 1993, and Jacob deGrom debuted in 2014. Nolan Ryan has the far longer record, 807 games against 279 across 12 and 27 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Jacob deGrom are ERA (2.73 to 3.19), WHIP (1.00 to 1.25), and strikeouts per nine (10.85 to 9.55). By rate, Jacob deGrom struck out 10.85 and walked 2.07 per nine innings; Nolan Ryan struck out 9.55 and walked 4.67. Both had the same role: Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games); Nolan Ryan was mainly a starter (773 starts in 807 games). Because Jacob deGrom is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Jacob deGrom vs Nolan Ryan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jacob deGrom or Nolan Ryan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nolan Ryan leads Jacob deGrom in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jacob deGrom, with 2.73 to Nolan Ryan's 3.19.
- Who won more games?
- Nolan Ryan, with 324 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.