Ron Guidry vs Jon Matlack: Career Stats Comparison
Ron Guidry has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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 came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Ron Guidry compiled 170 wins and 1,778 strikeouts; Jon Matlack put up 125 wins and 1,516 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Ron Guidry, with 2,392 to Jon Matlack's 2,363.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jon Matlack, with 30 to Ron Guidry's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jon Matlack, with 38,811 career Pitcher PIV to Ron Guidry's 37,878.
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Ron Guidry | Jon Matlack |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 170 | 125 |
| Losses | 91 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 368 | 361 |
| Games Started | Leads: 323 | 318 |
| Complete Games | 95 | Leads: 97 |
| Shutouts | 26 | Leads: 30 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,778 | 1,516 |
| Walks | 633 | 638 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,198 | 2,276 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 226 | 161 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,392 | 2,363 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,985 vs 2,706 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).
Ron Guidry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jon Matlack — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ron Guidry leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Jon Matlack owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ron Guidry. Note that PIV actually grades Jon Matlack ahead, which means Ron Guidry's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
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 9 of 12 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.