Bob Gibson vs Juan Marichal: 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; Juan Marichal played 1960–1975 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 Juan Marichal (1960–1975) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 16 seasons. Bob Gibson finished with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts; Juan Marichal finished with 243 wins and 2,303 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? Juan Marichal, with 2.89 to Bob Gibson's 2.91.
- Who won more games? Bob Gibson, with 251 to Juan Marichal's 243.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP? Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.
- How many innings did each pitch? Bob Gibson 3,884.1, Juan Marichal 3,507.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Gibson, with 56 to Juan Marichal's 52.
Bob Gibson
Juan Marichal
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 | Juan Marichal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 251 | 243 |
| Losses not scored | 174 | 142 |
| Games not scored | 528 | 471 |
| Games Started not scored | 482 | 457 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 255 | 244 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 56 | 52 |
| Saves not scored | 6 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,117 | 2,303 |
| Walks not scored | 1,336 | 709 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,279 | 3,153 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 257 | 320 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,884.1 | 3,507.1 |
| ERA | 2.91 | Leads: 2.89 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.22 | 5.91 |
| BB/9 | 3.10 | Leads: 1.82 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bob Gibson outpaces Juan Marichal 69,720 to 48,870 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,101 PIV per season to 3,054, across 17 seasons to 16. 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)
Juan Marichal — 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. Juan Marichal leads 3: ERA, WHIP, 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 Juan Marichal careers compare
Bob Gibson and Juan Marichal were active at the same time between 1960 and 1975. With 528 games against 471 across 17 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Juan Marichal comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.89 to 2.91), WHIP (1.10 to 1.19), and walks per nine (1.82 to 3.10). By rate, Bob Gibson struck out 7.22 and walked 3.10 per nine innings; Juan Marichal struck out 5.91 and walked 1.82. Bob Gibson was mainly a starter (482 starts in 528 games), and Juan Marichal was mainly a starter (457 starts in 471 games). Juan Marichal allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.10 WHIP to Bob Gibson's 1.19.
Bob Gibson vs Juan Marichal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Gibson or Juan Marichal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Bob Gibson leads Juan Marichal in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Juan Marichal, with 2.89 to Bob Gibson's 2.91.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Gibson, with 251 to Juan Marichal's 243.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Gibson, with 3,117 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Bob Gibson's 1.19.