Don Drysdale vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Don Drysdale and Gaylord Perry are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Don Drysdale played 1956–1969 as a pitcher; Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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 Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 8 seasons. Don Drysdale finished with 209 wins and 2,486 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Don Drysdale's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Don Drysdale's 2,486.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Drysdale, with 1.15 to Gaylord Perry's 1.18.
- How many innings did each pitch? Don Drysdale 3,432.0, Gaylord Perry 5,350.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Don Drysdale's 49.
Don Drysdale
Gaylord Perry
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Don Drysdale | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 209 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 166 | 265 |
| Games not scored | 518 | 777 |
| Games Started not scored | 465 | 690 |
| Complete Games | 167 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 49 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves not scored | 6 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,486 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 855 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,084 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 280 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,432.0 | 5,350.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.95 | 3.11 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.15 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.52 | 5.94 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.24 | 2.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Don Drysdale 78,312 to 57,464 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gaylord Perry played 22 seasons to Don Drysdale's 14, while Don Drysdale carries the higher per-season figure (4,105 to 3,560). 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)
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Don Drysdale and Gaylord Perry split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Gaylord Perry higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Drysdale and Gaylord Perry careers compare
Don Drysdale and Gaylord Perry were active at the same time between 1962 and 1969. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Don Drysdale appeared in 518 games to Gaylord Perry's 777. Where Gaylord Perry comes out ahead, it is in wins (314 to 209), complete games (303 to 167), and shutouts (53 to 49). The per-nine rows read 6.52 strikeouts and 2.24 walks for Don Drysdale, 5.94 and 2.32 for Gaylord Perry. Don Drysdale was mainly a starter (465 starts in 518 games), and Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games). Don Drysdale allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.15 WHIP to Gaylord Perry's 1.18.
Don Drysdale vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Drysdale or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Don Drysdale's 209.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Don Drysdale's 2,486.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Drysdale, with 1.15 to Gaylord Perry's 1.18.