Bob Gibson vs Tommy John: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 as a pitcher; Tommy John played 1963–1989 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 Tommy John (1963–1989) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 13 seasons. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Tommy John finished with 288 wins and 2,245 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Bob Gibson, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Tommy John, with 288 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Tommy John's 2,245.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Tommy John's 1.28.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bob Gibson 3,884.1, Tommy John 4,710.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Tommy John's 46.
Bob Gibson
Tommy John
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 Gibson | Tommy John |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 251 | Leads: 288 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 231 |
| Games not scored | 528 | 760 |
| Games Started not scored | 482 | 700 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 162 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 46 |
| Saves not scored | 6 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 2,245 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 1,259 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 4,783 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 302 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,884.1 | 4,710.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.22 | 4.29 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 2.41 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Tommy John 69,720 to 39,802 — driven by per-season impact — 4,101 PIV per season to 1,531 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Gibson played 17 seasons to Tommy John's 26. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Tommy John — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Bob Gibson leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Tommy John leads 2: wins and walks per nine. 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 Tommy John careers compare
From 1963 through 1975, Bob Gibson and Tommy John were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 528 games for Bob Gibson and 760 for Tommy John across 17 and 26 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Tommy John comes out ahead, it is in wins (288 to 251) and walks per nine (2.41 to 3.10). The per-nine rows read 7.22 strikeouts and 3.10 walks for Bob Gibson, 4.29 and 2.41 for Tommy John. Both had the same role: Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games); Tommy John was mainly a starter (700 starts in 760 games).
Bob Gibson vs Tommy John: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Tommy John?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Tommy John in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Tommy John, with 288 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Tommy John's 2,245.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Tommy John's 1.28.