Tim Hudson vs Randy Johnson: Career Stats Comparison

Randy Johnson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tim Hudson played 1999–2015 as a pitcher; Randy Johnson played 1988–2009 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

Tim Hudson (1999–2015) and Randy Johnson (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tim Hudson finished with 222 wins and 2,080 strikeouts; Randy Johnson finished with 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.

Quick answer

  • Who had the better ERA? Randy Johnson, with 3.29 to Tim Hudson's 3.49.
  • Who won more games? Randy Johnson, with 303 to Tim Hudson's 222.
  • Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Tim Hudson's 2,080.
  • Who had the better WHIP? Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to Tim Hudson's 1.24.
  • Who pitched more innings? Randy Johnson, with 4,135.1 to Tim Hudson's 3,126.2.
  • Who threw more shutouts? Randy Johnson, with 37 to Tim Hudson's 13.
  • Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Randy Johnson, with 122,530 career Pitcher PIV to Tim Hudson's 40,402.
Leads Randy Johnson 11 of 12 scored categories
Pitcher PIV edge Randy Johnson +82,128
Read the verdict ↓

Tim Hudson

Pitcher · 1999–2015
Wins
222
Losses
133
Strikeouts
2,080
ERA
3.49
WHIP
1.24
IP
3,126.2
View Tim Hudson's full profile →

Randy Johnson

Pitcher · 1988–2009
Wins
303
Losses
166
Strikeouts
4,875
ERA
3.29
WHIP
1.17
IP
4,135.1
View Randy Johnson's full profile →

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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.

Tim Hudson vs Randy Johnson: Career Stats Comparison — Career Stats Side-by-Side
Statistic Tim Hudson Randy Johnson
Wins 222 Leads: 303
Losses not scored 133 166
Games 482 Leads: 618
Games Started 479 Leads: 603
Complete Games 26 Leads: 100
Shutouts 13 Leads: 37
Saves 0 Leads: 2
Strikeouts 2,080 Leads: 4,875
Walks not scored 917 1,497
Hits Allowed not scored 2,957 3,346
Home Runs Allowed not scored 248 411
Innings Pitched 3,126.2 Leads: 4,135.1
ERA 3.49 Leads: 3.29
WHIP 1.24 Leads: 1.17
K/9 5.99 Leads: 10.61
BB/9 Leads: 2.64 3.26

PIV Comparison through 2025

By PIV (Player Impact Value), Randy Johnson outpaces Tim Hudson 122,530 to 40,402 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,105 PIV per season to 2,377, across 24 seasons to 17. 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.

Tim Hudson
40,402
Career Pitcher PIV · 2,377 per season (17 seasons)
Randy Johnson
122,530
Career Pitcher PIV · 5,105 per season (24 seasons)

How PIV is calculated →

Peak Seasons

The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).

Tim Hudson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)

20032.70 ERA16-7, 162 K in 240 IP
20102.83 ERA17-9, 139 K in 228 IP
20022.98 ERA15-9, 152 K in 238 IP

Randy Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)

19972.28 ERA20-4, 291 K in 213 IP
20022.32 ERA24-5, 334 K in 260 IP
19952.48 ERA18-2, 294 K in 214 IP

Verdict

On the head-to-head card, Randy Johnson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Tim Hudson owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Randy Johnson. PIV agrees: Randy Johnson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.

Related Matchups

How the Tim Hudson and Randy Johnson careers compare

Tim Hudson and Randy Johnson were active at the same time between 1999 and 2009. With 482 games against 618 across 17 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Tim Hudson are walks per nine (2.64 to 3.26). The per-nine rows read 5.99 strikeouts and 2.64 walks for Tim Hudson, 10.61 and 3.26 for Randy Johnson. Tim Hudson was mainly a starter (479 starts in 482 games), and Randy Johnson was mainly a starter (603 starts in 618 games). The complete-game row, 26 against 100, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. In WHIP, Randy Johnson's 1.17 beats Tim Hudson's 1.24.

Tim Hudson vs Randy Johnson: Frequently Asked Questions

Who was better, Tim Hudson or Randy Johnson?
By the career statistics compared on this page, Randy Johnson leads Tim Hudson in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
Who had the better ERA?
Randy Johnson, with 3.29 to Tim Hudson's 3.49.
Who won more games?
Randy Johnson, with 303 to Tim Hudson's 222.
Who recorded more strikeouts?
Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Tim Hudson's 2,080.
Who had the better WHIP?
Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to Tim Hudson's 1.24.

See These Players in Another Era