Bob Gibson vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson has the better career line of the two, leading 5 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; Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 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 Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — both debuted in the 1950s. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Bob Gibson, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Bob Gibson's 2.91.
- Who won more games? Bob Gibson, with 251 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bob Gibson 3,884.1, Sandy Koufax 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Sandy Koufax's 40.
Bob Gibson
Sandy Koufax
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 | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 165 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 87 |
| Games not scored | 528 | 397 |
| Games Started not scored | 482 | 314 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 137 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 40 |
| Saves not scored | 6 | 9 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 2,396 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,884.1 | 2,324.1 |
| ERA | 2.91 | Leads: 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 7.22 | Leads: 9.28 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.10 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson leads Sandy Koufax 69,720 to 63,020 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Bob Gibson played 17 seasons to Sandy Koufax's 12, while Sandy Koufax carries the higher per-season figure (5,252 to 4,101). 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)
Sandy Koufax — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Bob Gibson leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Sandy Koufax leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts 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 Sandy Koufax careers compare
Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax were active at the same time between 1959 and 1966. With 528 games against 397 across 17 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Sandy Koufax's edges on the table are ERA (2.76 to 2.91), WHIP (1.11 to 1.19), and strikeouts per nine (9.28 to 7.22). The per-nine rows read 7.22 strikeouts and 3.10 walks for Bob Gibson, 9.28 and 3.16 for Sandy Koufax. Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games), and Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games). In WHIP, Sandy Koufax's 1.11 beats Bob Gibson's 1.19.
Bob Gibson vs Sandy Koufax: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Sandy Koufax?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Sandy Koufax in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Bob Gibson's 2.91.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Gibson, with 251 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.