Don Drysdale vs Sam McDowell: Career Stats Comparison
Don Drysdale (1956–1969) and Sam McDowell (1961–1975) — 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; Sam McDowell put up 141 wins and 2,453 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Don Drysdale
Sam McDowell
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Don Drysdale | Sam McDowell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | 141 |
| Losses | 166 | 134 |
| Games | 518 | 425 |
| Games Started | 465 | 346 |
| Complete Games | 167 | 103 |
| Shutouts | 49 | 23 |
| Saves | 6 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | 2,486 | 2,453 |
| Walks | 855 | 1,312 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,084 | 1,948 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 280 | 164 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,432 | 2,492 |
| ERA | 2.95 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 6.52 | 8.86 |
| BB/9 | 2.24 | 4.74 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Drysdale outpaces Sam McDowell 57,464 to 29,989 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,105 vs 1,874 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)
Sam McDowell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Drysdale leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Sam McDowell owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Drysdale. PIV agrees: Don Drysdale grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.