Terry Forster vs Tug McGraw: Career Stats Comparison
Tug McGraw has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Terry Forster played 1971–1986 as a pitcher; Tug McGraw played 1965–1984 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
Terry Forster (1971–1986) and Tug McGraw (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Terry Forster finished with 54 wins and 791 strikeouts; Tug McGraw finished with 96 wins and 1,109 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tug McGraw, with 3.14 to Terry Forster's 3.23.
- Who won more games? Tug McGraw, with 96 to Terry Forster's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tug McGraw, with 1,109 to Terry Forster's 791.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tug McGraw, with 1.25 to Terry Forster's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Tug McGraw, with 1,514.2 to Terry Forster's 1,105.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tug McGraw, with 1 to Terry Forster's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Terry Forster, with 17,266 career Pitcher PIV to Tug McGraw's 16,151.
Terry Forster
Tug McGraw
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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Terry Forster | Tug McGraw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 54 | Leads: 96 |
| Losses not scored | 65 | 92 |
| Games | 614 | Leads: 824 |
| Games Started | 39 | 39 |
| Complete Games | 5 | 5 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Saves | 127 | Leads: 180 |
| Strikeouts | 791 | Leads: 1,109 |
| Walks not scored | 457 | 582 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,034 | 1,318 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 51 | 108 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,105.2 | Leads: 1,514.2 |
| ERA | 3.23 | Leads: 3.14 |
| WHIP | 1.35 | Leads: 1.25 |
| K/9 | 6.44 | Leads: 6.59 |
| BB/9 | 3.72 | Leads: 3.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Terry Forster edges Tug McGraw 17,266 to 16,151 — driven by per-season impact — 1,079 PIV per season to 850 — rather than by longevity, since Terry Forster played 16 seasons to Tug McGraw's 19. 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).
Terry Forster — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tug McGraw
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tug McGraw leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Terry Forster owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tug McGraw. Note that PIV actually grades Terry Forster ahead, which means Tug McGraw's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Terry Forster and Tug McGraw careers compare
From 1971 through 1984, Terry Forster and Tug McGraw were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 614 games for Terry Forster and 824 for Tug McGraw across 16 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Tug McGraw leads every scored row of the table. By rate, Terry Forster struck out 6.44 and walked 3.72 per nine innings; Tug McGraw struck out 6.59 and walked 3.46. Both had the same role: Terry Forster worked mostly in relief (39 starts in 614 games, 127 saves); Tug McGraw worked mostly in relief (39 starts in 824 games, 180 saves).
Terry Forster vs Tug McGraw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Terry Forster or Tug McGraw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tug McGraw leads Terry Forster in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tug McGraw, with 3.14 to Terry Forster's 3.23.
- Who won more games?
- Tug McGraw, with 96 to Terry Forster's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tug McGraw, with 1,109 to Terry Forster's 791.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tug McGraw, with 1.25 to Terry Forster's 1.35.