Bob Forsch vs Ken Forsch: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Forsch 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 Forsch played 1974–1989 as a pitcher; Ken Forsch played 1970–1986 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 Forsch (1974–1989) and Ken Forsch (1970–1986) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Forsch finished with 168 wins and 1,133 strikeouts; Ken Forsch finished with 114 wins and 1,047 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ken Forsch, with 3.37 to Bob Forsch's 3.76.
- Who won more games? Bob Forsch, with 168 to Ken Forsch's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Forsch, with 1,133 to Ken Forsch's 1,047.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ken Forsch, with 1.25 to Bob Forsch's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Forsch, with 2,794.2 to Ken Forsch's 2,127.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Forsch, with 19 to Ken Forsch's 18.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ken Forsch, with 13,222 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Forsch's 172.
Bob Forsch
Ken Forsch
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 Forsch | Ken Forsch |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 168 | 114 |
| Losses not scored | 136 | 113 |
| Games | 498 | Leads: 521 |
| Games Started | Leads: 422 | 241 |
| Complete Games | 67 | Leads: 70 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 19 | 18 |
| Saves | 3 | Leads: 51 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,133 | 1,047 |
| Walks not scored | 832 | 586 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,777 | 2,071 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 216 | 155 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,794.2 | 2,127.1 |
| ERA | 3.76 | Leads: 3.37 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.25 |
| K/9 | 3.65 | Leads: 4.43 |
| BB/9 | 2.68 | Leads: 2.48 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ken Forsch outpaces Bob Forsch 13,222 to 172 — driven by per-season impact — 826 PIV per season to 10 — rather than by longevity, since Ken Forsch played 16 seasons to Bob Forsch's 17. 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 Forsch — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Ken Forsch — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ken Forsch leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bob Forsch owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ken Forsch. PIV agrees: Ken Forsch grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Forsch and Ken Forsch careers compare
From 1974 through 1986, Bob Forsch and Ken Forsch were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 498 games for Bob Forsch and 521 for Ken Forsch across 17 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Bob Forsch struck out 3.65 and walked 2.68 per nine innings; Ken Forsch struck out 4.43 and walked 2.48. Bob Forsch was mainly a starter (422 starts in 498 games), while Ken Forsch split time between starting and relief (241 starts in 521 games). In WHIP, Ken Forsch's 1.25 beats Bob Forsch's 1.29.
Bob Forsch vs Ken Forsch: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Forsch or Ken Forsch?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ken Forsch leads Bob Forsch in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ken Forsch, with 3.37 to Bob Forsch's 3.76.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Forsch, with 168 to Ken Forsch's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Forsch, with 1,133 to Ken Forsch's 1,047.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ken Forsch, with 1.25 to Bob Forsch's 1.29.