Bob Gibson vs Jim Kaat: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson and Jim Kaat are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Bob Gibson played 1959–1975 as a pitcher; Jim Kaat played 1959–1983 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 Jim Kaat (1959–1983) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Jim Kaat finished with 283 wins and 2,461 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 Jim Kaat's 3.45.
- Who won more games? Jim Kaat, with 283 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Jim Kaat's 2,461.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Jim Kaat's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Kaat, with 4,530.1 to Bob Gibson's 3,884.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Jim Kaat's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bob Gibson, with 69,720 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Kaat's 26,792.
Bob Gibson
Jim Kaat
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 Gibson | Jim Kaat |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 251 | Leads: 283 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 237 |
| Games | 528 | Leads: 898 |
| Games Started | 482 | Leads: 625 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 180 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 31 |
| Saves | 6 | Leads: 18 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 2,461 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 1,083 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 4,620 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 395 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,884.1 | Leads: 4,530.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.91 | 3.45 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.19 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.22 | 4.89 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 2.15 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Jim Kaat 69,720 to 26,792 — driven by per-season impact — 4,101 PIV per season to 957 — rather than by longevity, since Bob Gibson played 17 seasons to Jim Kaat's 28. 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)
Jim Kaat — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bob Gibson leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Jim Kaat owns wins and innings pitched. 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 Jim Kaat careers compare
The careers of Bob Gibson (1959–1975) and Jim Kaat (1959–1983) overlapped from 1959 to 1975, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 528 games of Bob Gibson with 898 of Jim Kaat across 17 and 28 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, Bob Gibson struck out 7.22 and walked 3.10 per nine innings; Jim Kaat struck out 4.89 and walked 2.15. Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games), while Jim Kaat split time between starting and relief (625 starts in 898 games). In WHIP, Bob Gibson's 1.19 beats Jim Kaat's 1.26.
Bob Gibson vs Jim Kaat: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Bob Gibson, with 2.91 to Jim Kaat's 3.45.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Kaat, with 283 to Bob Gibson's 251.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Jim Kaat's 2,461.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bob Gibson, with 1.19 to Jim Kaat's 1.26.