Ron Guidry vs Jon Matlack: Career Stats Comparison
Ron Guidry 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). Ron Guidry played 1975–1988 as a pitcher; Jon Matlack played 1971–1983 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 Jon Matlack (1971–1983) — both debuted in the 1970s. Ron Guidry finished with 170 wins and 1,778 strikeouts; Jon Matlack finished with 125 wins and 1,516 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Ron Guidry, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Jon Matlack, with 3.18 to Ron Guidry's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Ron Guidry, with 170 to Jon Matlack's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Ron Guidry, with 1,778 to Jon Matlack's 1,516.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ron Guidry, with 1.18 to Jon Matlack's 1.23.
- How many innings did each pitch? Ron Guidry 2,392.0, Jon Matlack 2,363.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jon Matlack, with 30 to Ron Guidry's 26.
Ron Guidry
Jon Matlack
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 | Ron Guidry | Jon Matlack |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 170 | 125 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 126 |
| Games not scored | 368 | 361 |
| Games Started not scored | 323 | 318 |
| Complete Games | 95 | Leads: 97 |
| Shutouts | 26 | Leads: 30 |
| Saves not scored | 4 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,778 | 1,516 |
| Walks not scored | 633 | 638 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,198 | 2,276 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 226 | 161 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,392.0 | 2,363.0 |
| ERA | 3.29 | Leads: 3.18 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.23 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.69 | 5.77 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.38 | 2.43 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jon Matlack edges Ron Guidry 38,811 to 37,878 — driven by per-season impact — 2,985 PIV per season to 2,706 — rather than by longevity, since Jon Matlack played 13 seasons to Ron Guidry's 14. 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).
Ron Guidry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jon Matlack — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Ron Guidry leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, strikeouts, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. Jon Matlack leads 3: complete games, shutouts, and ERA. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ron Guidry. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Jon Matlack higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ron Guidry and Jon Matlack careers compare
From 1975 through 1983, Ron Guidry and Jon Matlack were in the majors together. With 368 games against 361 across 14 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jon Matlack's edges on the table are complete games (97 to 95), shutouts (30 to 26), and ERA (3.18 to 3.29). The per-nine rows read 6.69 strikeouts and 2.38 walks for Ron Guidry, 5.77 and 2.43 for Jon Matlack. Both had the same role: Ron Guidry was mainly a starter (323 starts in 368 games); Jon Matlack was mainly a starter (318 starts in 361 games). Ron Guidry allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Jon Matlack's 1.23.
Ron Guidry vs Jon Matlack: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ron Guidry or Jon Matlack?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ron Guidry leads Jon Matlack in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jon Matlack, with 3.18 to Ron Guidry's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Ron Guidry, with 170 to Jon Matlack's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Ron Guidry, with 1,778 to Jon Matlack's 1,516.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ron Guidry, with 1.18 to Jon Matlack's 1.23.