Carl Hubbell vs Red Ruffing: Career Stats Comparison
Red Ruffing 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; Red Ruffing played 1924–1947 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 Red Ruffing (1924–1947) — both came up during the 1920s, so the matchup is a direct one. Carl Hubbell finished with 253 wins and 1,677 strikeouts; Red Ruffing finished with 273 wins and 1,987 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games? Red Ruffing, with 273 to Carl Hubbell's 253.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Red Ruffing, with 1,987 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP? Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Red Ruffing, with 4,344.0 to Carl Hubbell's 3,590.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Red Ruffing, with 45 to Carl Hubbell's 36.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Carl Hubbell, with 54,753 career Pitcher PIV to Red Ruffing's 17,432.
Carl Hubbell
Red Ruffing
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 | Carl Hubbell | Red Ruffing |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 253 | Leads: 273 |
| Losses not scored | 154 | 225 |
| Games | 535 | Leads: 624 |
| Games Started | 431 | Leads: 536 |
| Complete Games | 260 | Leads: 335 |
| Shutouts | 36 | Leads: 45 |
| Saves | Leads: 33 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | 1,677 | Leads: 1,987 |
| Walks not scored | 725 | 1,541 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,461 | 4,284 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 227 | 254 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,590.1 | Leads: 4,344.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.98 | 3.80 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.20 | 4.12 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.82 | 3.19 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Carl Hubbell outpaces Red Ruffing 54,753 to 17,432 — driven by per-season impact — 3,422 PIV per season to 758 — rather than by longevity, since Carl Hubbell played 16 seasons to Red Ruffing's 23. 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)
Red Ruffing — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Carl Hubbell leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Red Ruffing owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Carl Hubbell. PIV agrees: Carl Hubbell 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 Red Ruffing careers compare
Carl Hubbell and Red Ruffing were active at the same time between 1928 and 1943. The two careers are close in length, 535 games for Carl Hubbell and 624 for Red Ruffing across 16 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 4.20 strikeouts and 1.82 walks for Carl Hubbell, 4.12 and 3.19 for Red Ruffing. Both had the same role: Carl Hubbell was mainly a starter (431 starts in 535 games); Red Ruffing was mainly a starter (536 starts in 624 games). In WHIP, Carl Hubbell's 1.17 beats Red Ruffing's 1.34.
Carl Hubbell vs Red Ruffing: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Carl Hubbell or Red Ruffing?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Red Ruffing leads Carl Hubbell in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Carl Hubbell, with 2.98 to Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games?
- Red Ruffing, with 273 to Carl Hubbell's 253.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Red Ruffing, with 1,987 to Carl Hubbell's 1,677.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Carl Hubbell, with 1.17 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.