Bob Gibson vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
Bob Gibson (1959–1975) and Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Bob Gibson compiled 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Sandy Koufax put up 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Bob Gibson | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 251 | 165 |
| Losses | 174 | 87 |
| Games | 528 | 397 |
| Games Started | 482 | 314 |
| Complete Games | 255 | 137 |
| Shutouts | 56 | 40 |
| Saves | 6 | 9 |
| Strikeouts | 3,117 | 2,396 |
| Walks | 1,336 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,279 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 257 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,884 | 2,324 |
| ERA | 2.91 | 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | 7.22 | 9.28 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson leads Sandy Koufax 69,720 to 63,020 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,101 vs 5,252 per year). 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
On the head-to-head card, Bob Gibson leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Sandy Koufax owns ERA, WHIP, and 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.