Bob Feller vs Early Wynn: Career Stats Comparison
Early Wynn has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Feller played 1936–1956 as a pitcher; Early Wynn played 1939–1963 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
Bob Feller (1936–1956) and Early Wynn (1939–1963) — both came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Early Wynn finished with 300 wins and 2,334 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Early Wynn's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Early Wynn, with 300 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Early Wynn's 2,334.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Feller, with 1.32 to Early Wynn's 1.33.
- Who pitched more innings? Early Wynn, with 4,564.0 to Bob Feller's 3,827.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Early Wynn, with 49 to Bob Feller's 44.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Feller, with 48,739 career Pitcher PIV to Early Wynn's 25,348.
Bob Feller
Early Wynn
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Early Wynn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 266 | Leads: 300 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 244 |
| Games | 570 | Leads: 691 |
| Games Started | 484 | Leads: 612 |
| Complete Games | 279 | Leads: 290 |
| Shutouts | 44 | Leads: 49 |
| Saves | Leads: 21 | 15 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 2,334 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,775 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 4,291 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 338 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,827.0 | Leads: 4,564.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.25 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.32 | 1.33 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 4.60 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 3.50 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Feller outpaces Early Wynn 48,739 to 25,348 — driven by per-season impact — 2,708 PIV per season to 1,102 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Feller played 18 seasons to Early Wynn's 23. 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).
Bob Feller — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Early Wynn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Feller leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Early Wynn owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Feller. PIV agrees: Bob Feller grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Feller and Early Wynn careers compare
From 1939 through 1956, Bob Feller and Early Wynn were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 570 games for Bob Feller and 691 for Early Wynn across 18 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 6.07 strikeouts and 4.15 walks for Bob Feller, 4.60 and 3.50 for Early Wynn. Both had the same role: Bob Feller was mainly a starter (484 starts in 570 games); Early Wynn was mainly a starter (612 starts in 691 games). Bob Feller allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.32 WHIP to Early Wynn's 1.33.
Bob Feller vs Early Wynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Early Wynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Early Wynn leads Bob Feller in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Feller, with 3.25 to Early Wynn's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Early Wynn, with 300 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Early Wynn's 2,334.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Feller, with 1.32 to Early Wynn's 1.33.