Ron Guidry vs Fergie Jenkins: Career Stats Comparison
Fergie Jenkins has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ron Guidry played 1975–1988 as a pitcher; Fergie Jenkins played 1965–1983 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
Ron Guidry (1975–1988) and Fergie Jenkins (1965–1983) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Ron Guidry finished with 170 wins and 1,778 strikeouts; Fergie Jenkins finished with 284 wins and 3,192 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ron Guidry, with 3.29 to Fergie Jenkins's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Fergie Jenkins, with 284 to Ron Guidry's 170.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Fergie Jenkins, with 3,192 to Ron Guidry's 1,778.
- Who had the better WHIP? Fergie Jenkins, with 1.14 to Ron Guidry's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Fergie Jenkins, with 4,500.2 to Ron Guidry's 2,392.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Fergie Jenkins, with 49 to Ron Guidry's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Fergie Jenkins, with 40,614 career Pitcher PIV to Ron Guidry's 37,878.
Ron Guidry
Fergie Jenkins
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, and the 1970s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Ron Guidry | Fergie Jenkins |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 170 | Leads: 284 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 226 |
| Games | 368 | Leads: 664 |
| Games Started | 323 | Leads: 594 |
| Complete Games | 95 | Leads: 267 |
| Shutouts | 26 | Leads: 49 |
| Saves | 4 | Leads: 7 |
| Strikeouts | 1,778 | Leads: 3,192 |
| Walks not scored | 633 | 997 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,198 | 4,142 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 226 | 484 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,392.0 | Leads: 4,500.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.29 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.69 | 6.38 |
| BB/9 | 2.38 | Leads: 1.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fergie Jenkins edges Ron Guidry 40,614 to 37,878 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Fergie Jenkins played 20 seasons to Ron Guidry's 14, while Ron Guidry carries the higher per-season figure (2,706 to 2,031). 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).
Ron Guidry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Fergie Jenkins — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fergie Jenkins leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Ron Guidry owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fergie Jenkins. PIV agrees: Fergie Jenkins grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ron Guidry and Fergie Jenkins careers compare
The careers of Ron Guidry (1975–1988) and Fergie Jenkins (1965–1983) overlapped from 1975 to 1983, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Fergie Jenkins has the far longer record, 664 games against 368 across 14 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Ron Guidry's edges on the table are ERA (3.29 to 3.34) and strikeouts per nine (6.69 to 6.38). By rate, Ron Guidry struck out 6.69 and walked 2.38 per nine innings; Fergie Jenkins struck out 6.38 and walked 1.99. Both had the same role: Ron Guidry was mainly a starter (323 starts in 368 games); Fergie Jenkins was mainly a starter (594 starts in 664 games).
Ron Guidry vs Fergie Jenkins: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ron Guidry or Fergie Jenkins?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fergie Jenkins leads Ron Guidry in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ron Guidry, with 3.29 to Fergie Jenkins's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 284 to Ron Guidry's 170.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 3,192 to Ron Guidry's 1,778.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 1.14 to Ron Guidry's 1.18.