Don Drysdale vs Juan Marichal: Career Stats Comparison
Juan Marichal has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Don Drysdale played 1956–1969 as a pitcher; Juan Marichal played 1960–1975 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
Don Drysdale (1956–1969) and Juan Marichal (1960–1975) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Don Drysdale compiled 209 wins and 2,486 strikeouts; Juan Marichal put up 243 wins and 2,303 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Juan Marichal, with 2.89 to Don Drysdale's 2.95.
- Who won more games? Juan Marichal, with 243 to Don Drysdale's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP? Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Don Drysdale's 1.15.
- Who pitched more innings? Juan Marichal, with 3,507 to Don Drysdale's 3,432.
- Who threw more shutouts? Juan Marichal, with 52 to Don Drysdale's 49.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Don Drysdale, with 57,464 career Pitcher PIV to Juan Marichal's 48,870.
Don Drysdale
Juan Marichal
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Don Drysdale | Juan Marichal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | Leads: 243 |
| Losses | 166 | 142 |
| Games | Leads: 518 | 471 |
| Games Started | Leads: 465 | 457 |
| Complete Games | 167 | Leads: 244 |
| Shutouts | 49 | Leads: 52 |
| Saves | Leads: 6 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,486 | 2,303 |
| Walks | 855 | 709 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,084 | 3,153 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 280 | 320 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,432 | Leads: 3,507 |
| ERA | 2.95 | Leads: 2.89 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.52 | 5.91 |
| BB/9 | 2.24 | Leads: 1.82 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Drysdale leads Juan Marichal 57,464 to 48,870 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,105 vs 3,054 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).
Don Drysdale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Juan Marichal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Juan Marichal leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Don Drysdale owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Juan Marichal. Note that PIV actually grades Don Drysdale ahead, which means Juan Marichal's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Don Drysdale vs Juan Marichal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Drysdale or Juan Marichal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Juan Marichal leads Don Drysdale in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Juan Marichal, with 2.89 to Don Drysdale's 2.95.
- Who won more games?
- Juan Marichal, with 243 to Don Drysdale's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Don Drysdale's 1.15.