Ken Forsch vs J. R. Richard: Career Stats Comparison
Ken Forsch and J. R. Richard are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ken Forsch played 1970–1986 as a pitcher; J. R. Richard played 1971–1980 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
Ken Forsch (1970–1986) and J. R. Richard (1971–1980) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Ken Forsch finished with 114 wins and 1,047 strikeouts; J. R. Richard finished with 107 wins and 1,493 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? J. R. Richard, with 3.15 to Ken Forsch's 3.37.
- Who won more games? Ken Forsch, with 114 to J. R. Richard's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? J. R. Richard, with 1,493 to Ken Forsch's 1,047.
- Who had the better WHIP? J. R. Richard, with 1.24 to Ken Forsch's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Ken Forsch, with 2,127.1 to J. R. Richard's 1,606.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? J. R. Richard, with 19 to Ken Forsch's 18.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? J. R. Richard, with 38,918 career Pitcher PIV to Ken Forsch's 13,222.
Ken Forsch
J. R. Richard
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 | Ken Forsch | J. R. Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 114 | 107 |
| Losses not scored | 113 | 71 |
| Games | Leads: 521 | 238 |
| Games Started | Leads: 241 | 221 |
| Complete Games | 70 | Leads: 76 |
| Shutouts | 18 | Leads: 19 |
| Saves | Leads: 51 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,047 | Leads: 1,493 |
| Walks not scored | 586 | 770 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,071 | 1,227 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 155 | 73 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,127.1 | 1,606.0 |
| ERA | 3.37 | Leads: 3.15 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.24 |
| K/9 | 4.43 | Leads: 8.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.48 | 4.32 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), J. R. Richard outpaces Ken Forsch 38,918 to 13,222 — driven by per-season impact — 3,892 PIV per season to 826 — rather than by longevity, since J. R. Richard played 10 seasons to Ken Forsch's 16. 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).
Ken Forsch — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
J. R. Richard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, J. R. Richard leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Ken Forsch owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to J. R. Richard. PIV agrees: J. R. Richard grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ken Forsch and J. R. Richard careers compare
The careers of Ken Forsch (1970–1986) and J. R. Richard (1971–1980) overlapped from 1971 to 1980, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Ken Forsch has the far longer record, 521 games against 238 across 16 and 10 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. By rate, Ken Forsch struck out 4.43 and walked 2.48 per nine innings; J. R. Richard struck out 8.37 and walked 4.32. Ken Forsch split time between starting and relief (241 starts in 521 games), while J. R. Richard was mainly a starter (221 starts in 238 games). J. R. Richard allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.24 WHIP to Ken Forsch's 1.25.
Ken Forsch vs J. R. Richard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- J. R. Richard, with 3.15 to Ken Forsch's 3.37.
- Who won more games?
- Ken Forsch, with 114 to J. R. Richard's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- J. R. Richard, with 1,493 to Ken Forsch's 1,047.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- J. R. Richard, with 1.24 to Ken Forsch's 1.25.