Bob Gibson vs Dwight Gooden: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson 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). Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 as a pitcher; Dwight Gooden played 1984–2000 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 Gibson (1959–1975) and Dwight Gooden (1984–2000) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Dwight Gooden finished with 194 wins and 2,293 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Dwight Gooden's 3.51.
- Who won more games? Bob Gibson, with 251 to Dwight Gooden's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Dwight Gooden's 2,293.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Dwight Gooden's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Gibson, with 3,884.1 to Dwight Gooden's 2,800.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Dwight Gooden's 24.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Dwight Gooden's 55,535.
Bob Gibson
Dwight Gooden
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Gibson | Dwight Gooden |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 194 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 112 |
| Games | Leads: 528 | 430 |
| Games Started | Leads: 482 | 410 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 68 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 24 |
| Saves | Leads: 6 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 2,293 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 954 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 2,564 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 210 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,884.1 | 2,800.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.51 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 7.22 | Leads: 7.37 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 3.07 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson leads Dwight Gooden 69,720 to 55,535 — driven by per-season impact — 4,101 PIV per season to 3,085 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Gibson played 17 seasons to Dwight Gooden's 18. 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 Gibson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dwight Gooden — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Gibson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Dwight Gooden owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bob Gibson. PIV agrees: Bob Gibson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Gibson and Dwight Gooden careers compare
No season is shared: Bob Gibson played 1959–1975, Dwight Gooden 1984–2000. With 528 games against 430 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Dwight Gooden are strikeouts per nine (7.37 to 7.22) and walks per nine (3.07 to 3.10). By rate, Bob Gibson struck out 7.22 and walked 3.10 per nine innings; Dwight Gooden struck out 7.37 and walked 3.07. Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games), and Dwight Gooden was mainly a starter (410 starts in 430 games). The complete-game row, 255 against 68, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Bob Gibson vs Dwight Gooden: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Dwight Gooden?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Dwight Gooden in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Dwight Gooden's 3.51.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Gibson, with 251 to Dwight Gooden's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Dwight Gooden's 2,293.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Dwight Gooden's 1.26.