Paul Derringer vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Paul Derringer 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). Paul Derringer played 1931–1945 as a pitcher; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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
Paul Derringer (1931–1945) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — both came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Paul Derringer finished with 223 wins and 1,507 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Paul Derringer, with 223 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Paul Derringer's 1,507.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Derringer, with 1.28 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Paul Derringer, with 3,645.0 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Paul Derringer's 32.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Paul Derringer, with 67,059 career Pitcher PIV to Hal Newhouser's 43,492.
Paul Derringer
Hal Newhouser
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Paul Derringer | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 207 |
| Losses not scored | 212 | 150 |
| Games | Leads: 579 | 488 |
| Games Started | Leads: 445 | 374 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 251 | 212 |
| Shutouts | 32 | Leads: 33 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 26 |
| Strikeouts | 1,507 | Leads: 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 761 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,912 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 158 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,645.0 | 2,993.0 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.28 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 3.72 | Leads: 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.88 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Paul Derringer outpaces Hal Newhouser 67,059 to 43,492 — driven by per-season impact — 4,191 PIV per season to 2,558 — rather than by longevity, since Paul Derringer played 16 seasons to Hal Newhouser's 17. 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).
Paul Derringer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Paul Derringer leads in wins, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Hal Newhouser owns strikeouts, ERA, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Paul Derringer. PIV agrees: Paul Derringer grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Paul Derringer and Hal Newhouser careers compare
The careers of Paul Derringer (1931–1945) and Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) overlapped from 1939 to 1945, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 579 games for Paul Derringer and 488 for Hal Newhouser across 16 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Hal Newhouser comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (33 to 32), strikeouts (1,796 to 1,507), and ERA (3.06 to 3.46). The per-nine rows read 3.72 strikeouts and 1.88 walks for Paul Derringer, 5.40 and 3.76 for Hal Newhouser.
Paul Derringer vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Paul Derringer or Hal Newhouser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Paul Derringer leads Hal Newhouser in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Paul Derringer's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Paul Derringer, with 223 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1,796 to Paul Derringer's 1,507.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Derringer, with 1.28 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.