Dennis Eckersley vs Michael Fulmer: Career Stats Comparison
Dennis Eckersley has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 as a pitcher; Michael Fulmer has played 2016–present 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
Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) and Michael Fulmer (2016–present) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dennis Eckersley finished with 197 wins and 2,401 strikeouts; Michael Fulmer has 37 wins and 596 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Dennis Eckersley, with 3.50 to Michael Fulmer's 3.93.
- Who won more games? Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Michael Fulmer's 37.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Michael Fulmer's 596.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dennis Eckersley, with 1.16 to Michael Fulmer's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Dennis Eckersley, with 3,285.2 to Michael Fulmer's 693.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 20 to Michael Fulmer's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Michael Fulmer's 4,091.
Dennis Eckersley
Michael Fulmer
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 1970s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Michael Fulmer is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Dennis Eckersley | Michael Fulmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 197 | 37 |
| Losses not scored | 171 | 51 |
| Games | Leads: 1,071 | 280 |
| Games Started | Leads: 361 | 90 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 100 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 390 | 19 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,401 | 596 |
| Walks not scored | 738 | 226 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,076 | 652 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 77 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,285.2 | 693.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.50 | 3.93 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.16 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 6.58 | Leads: 7.74 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.93 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dennis Eckersley outpaces Michael Fulmer 41,139 to 4,091 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,646 PIV per season to 409, across 25 seasons to 10. 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).
Dennis Eckersley — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Michael Fulmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dennis Eckersley leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Michael Fulmer owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dennis Eckersley. PIV agrees: Dennis Eckersley grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dennis Eckersley and Michael Fulmer careers compare
No season is shared: Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998, Michael Fulmer 2016–present. Dennis Eckersley has the far longer record, 1,071 games against 280 across 25 and 10 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Michael Fulmer comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (7.74 to 6.58). The per-nine rows read 6.58 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Dennis Eckersley, 7.74 and 2.93 for Michael Fulmer. Both had the same role: Dennis Eckersley split time between starting and relief (361 starts in 1,071 games); Michael Fulmer split time between starting and relief (90 starts in 280 games). The complete-game row, 100 against 2, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Because Michael Fulmer is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Dennis Eckersley vs Michael Fulmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dennis Eckersley or Michael Fulmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dennis Eckersley leads Michael Fulmer in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 3.50 to Michael Fulmer's 3.93.
- Who won more games?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Michael Fulmer's 37.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Michael Fulmer's 596.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 1.16 to Michael Fulmer's 1.27.