Turk Farrell vs Bobby Shantz: Career Stats Comparison
Turk Farrell and Bobby Shantz are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Turk Farrell played 1956–1969 as a pitcher; Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964 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
Turk Farrell (1956–1969) and Bobby Shantz (1949–1964) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Turk Farrell finished with 106 wins and 1,177 strikeouts; Bobby Shantz finished with 119 wins and 1,072 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bobby Shantz, with 3.38 to Turk Farrell's 3.45.
- Who won more games? Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Turk Farrell's 106.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Turk Farrell, with 1,177 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP? Turk Farrell, with 1.23 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Bobby Shantz, with 1,935.2 to Turk Farrell's 1,705.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bobby Shantz, with 15 to Turk Farrell's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bobby Shantz, with 24,845 career Pitcher PIV to Turk Farrell's 21,059.
Turk Farrell
Bobby Shantz
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 1950s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Turk Farrell | Bobby Shantz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 106 | Leads: 119 |
| Losses not scored | 111 | 99 |
| Games | Leads: 590 | 537 |
| Games Started | 134 | Leads: 171 |
| Complete Games | 41 | Leads: 78 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 83 | 48 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,177 | 1,072 |
| Walks not scored | 468 | 643 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,628 | 1,795 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 152 | 151 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,705.0 | Leads: 1,935.2 |
| ERA | 3.45 | Leads: 3.38 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.21 | 4.98 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.47 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Shantz leads Turk Farrell 24,845 to 21,059 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Bobby Shantz played 19 seasons to Turk Farrell's 16, while Turk Farrell carries the higher per-season figure (1,316 to 1,308). 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).
Turk Farrell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Bobby Shantz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Shantz leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Turk Farrell owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Shantz. PIV agrees: Bobby Shantz grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Turk Farrell and Bobby Shantz careers compare
Turk Farrell and Bobby Shantz were active at the same time between 1956 and 1964. With 590 games against 537 across 16 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 6.21 strikeouts and 2.47 walks for Turk Farrell, 4.98 and 2.99 for Bobby Shantz. Turk Farrell split time between starting and relief (134 starts in 590 games), and Bobby Shantz split time between starting and relief (171 starts in 537 games). Turk Farrell allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.23 WHIP to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
Turk Farrell vs Bobby Shantz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bobby Shantz, with 3.38 to Turk Farrell's 3.45.
- Who won more games?
- Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Turk Farrell's 106.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Turk Farrell, with 1,177 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Turk Farrell, with 1.23 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.