Carl Hubbell vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
Carl Hubbell 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). Carl Hubbell played 1928–1943 as a pitcher; Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 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
Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) and Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 strikeouts; Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Carl Hubbell's 2.98.
- Who won more games? Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Carl Hubbell's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Carl Hubbell, with 3,590.1 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sandy Koufax, with 40 to Carl Hubbell's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Carl Hubbell's 54,753.
Carl Hubbell
Sandy Koufax
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 1920s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Carl Hubbell | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 253 | 165 |
| Losses not scored | 154 | 87 |
| Games | Leads: 535 | 397 |
| Games Started | Leads: 431 | 314 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 260 | 137 |
| Shutouts | 36 | Leads: 40 |
| Saves | Leads: 33 | 9 |
| Strikeouts | 1,677 | Leads: 2,396 |
| Walks not scored | 725 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,461 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 227 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,590.1 | 2,324.1 |
| ERA | 2.98 | Leads: 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 4.20 | Leads: 9.28 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.82 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax leads Carl Hubbell 63,020 to 54,753 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 3,422 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Carl Hubbell's 16. 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).
Carl Hubbell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Sandy Koufax — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sandy Koufax leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Carl Hubbell owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sandy Koufax. PIV agrees: Sandy Koufax grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Carl Hubbell and Sandy Koufax careers compare
Carl Hubbell (1928–1943) was finished before Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 535 games against 397 across 16 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 4.20 strikeouts and 1.82 walks for Carl Hubbell, 9.28 and 3.16 for Sandy Koufax. Both had the same role: Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games); Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games). In WHIP, Sandy Koufax's 1.11 beats Carl Hubbell's 1.17.
Carl Hubbell vs Sandy Koufax: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carl Hubbell or Sandy Koufax?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Carl Hubbell leads Sandy Koufax in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Carl Hubbell's 2.98.
- Who won more games?
- Carl Hubbell, with 253 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Carl Hubbell's 1.17.