Steve Howe vs Jay Howell: Career Stats Comparison
Jay Howell has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Howe played 1980–1996 as a pitcher; Jay Howell played 1980–1994 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
Steve Howe (1980–1996) and Jay Howell (1980–1994) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Steve Howe finished with 47 wins and 328 strikeouts; Jay Howell finished with 58 wins and 666 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Howe, with 3.03 to Jay Howell's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Jay Howell, with 58 to Steve Howe's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jay Howell, with 666 to Steve Howe's 328.
- Who had the better WHIP? Steve Howe, with 1.20 to Jay Howell's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Jay Howell, with 844.2 to Steve Howe's 606.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jay Howell, with 15,213 career Pitcher PIV to Steve Howe's 12,134.
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Howe | Jay Howell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 47 | Leads: 58 |
| Losses not scored | 41 | 53 |
| Games | 497 | Leads: 568 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 21 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 2 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 91 | Leads: 155 |
| Strikeouts | 328 | Leads: 666 |
| Walks not scored | 139 | 291 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 586 | 782 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 32 | 57 |
| Innings Pitched | 606.0 | Leads: 844.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.03 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 4.87 | Leads: 7.10 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.06 | 3.10 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jay Howell leads Steve Howe 15,213 to 12,134 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,014 PIV per season to 933, across 15 seasons to 13. 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).
Steve Howe
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Jay Howell
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jay Howell leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Steve Howe owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jay Howell. PIV agrees: Jay Howell grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Howe and Jay Howell careers compare
From 1980 through 1994, Steve Howe and Jay Howell were in the majors together. With 497 games against 568 across 13 and 15 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Steve Howe comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.03 to 3.34), WHIP (1.20 to 1.27), and walks per nine (2.06 to 3.10). By rate, Steve Howe struck out 4.87 and walked 2.06 per nine innings; Jay Howell struck out 7.10 and walked 3.10. Both had the same role: Steve Howe worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 497 games, 91 saves); Jay Howell worked mostly in relief (21 starts in 568 games, 155 saves).
Steve Howe vs Jay Howell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Howe or Jay Howell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jay Howell leads Steve Howe in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Howe, with 3.03 to Jay Howell's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Jay Howell, with 58 to Steve Howe's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jay Howell, with 666 to Steve Howe's 328.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Steve Howe, with 1.20 to Jay Howell's 1.27.