Steve Howe vs Fernando Valenzuela: Career Stats Comparison
Fernando Valenzuela has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Fernando Valenzuela played 1980–1997 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 Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Steve Howe finished with 47 wins and 328 strikeouts; Fernando Valenzuela finished with 173 wins and 2,074 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 Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Fernando Valenzuela, with 173 to Steve Howe's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,074 to Steve Howe's 328.
- Who had the better WHIP? Steve Howe, with 1.20 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,930.0 to Steve Howe's 606.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Fernando Valenzuela, with 31 to Steve Howe's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Fernando Valenzuela, with 30,102 career Pitcher PIV to Steve Howe's 12,134.
Fernando Valenzuela
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 | Fernando Valenzuela |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 47 | Leads: 173 |
| Losses not scored | 41 | 153 |
| Games | Leads: 497 | 453 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 424 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 113 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 31 |
| Saves | Leads: 91 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 328 | Leads: 2,074 |
| Walks not scored | 139 | 1,151 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 586 | 2,718 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 32 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | 606.0 | Leads: 2,930.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.03 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 4.87 | Leads: 6.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.06 | 3.54 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fernando Valenzuela outpaces Steve Howe 30,102 to 12,134 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,672 PIV per season to 933, across 18 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.
Fernando Valenzuela — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fernando Valenzuela 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 Fernando Valenzuela. PIV agrees: Fernando Valenzuela 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 Fernando Valenzuela careers compare
From 1980 through 1996, Steve Howe and Fernando Valenzuela were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 497 games for Steve Howe and 453 for Fernando Valenzuela across 13 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Steve Howe struck out 4.87 and walked 2.06 per nine innings; Fernando Valenzuela struck out 6.37 and walked 3.54. Steve Howe worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 497 games, 91 saves), while Fernando Valenzuela was mainly a starter (424 starts in 453 games). The complete-game row, 0 against 113, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. In WHIP, Steve Howe's 1.20 beats Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
Steve Howe vs Fernando Valenzuela: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Howe or Fernando Valenzuela?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fernando Valenzuela leads Steve Howe in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Howe, with 3.03 to Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Fernando Valenzuela, with 173 to Steve Howe's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,074 to Steve Howe's 328.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Steve Howe, with 1.20 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.