Larry Jackson vs Fergie Jenkins: Career Stats Comparison
Fergie Jenkins 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). Larry Jackson played 1955–1968 as a pitcher; Fergie Jenkins played 1965–1983 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
Larry Jackson (1955–1968) and Fergie Jenkins (1965–1983) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Larry Jackson finished with 194 wins and 1,709 strikeouts; Fergie Jenkins finished with 284 wins and 3,192 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Fergie Jenkins, with 3.34 to Larry Jackson's 3.40.
- Who won more games? Fergie Jenkins, with 284 to Larry Jackson's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Fergie Jenkins, with 3,192 to Larry Jackson's 1,709.
- Who had the better WHIP? Fergie Jenkins, with 1.14 to Larry Jackson's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Fergie Jenkins, with 4,500.2 to Larry Jackson's 3,262.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Fergie Jenkins, with 49 to Larry Jackson's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Fergie Jenkins, with 40,614 career Pitcher PIV to Larry Jackson's 30,735.
Larry Jackson
Fergie Jenkins
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 1950s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Larry Jackson | Fergie Jenkins |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 284 |
| Losses not scored | 183 | 226 |
| Games | 558 | Leads: 664 |
| Games Started | 429 | Leads: 594 |
| Complete Games | 149 | Leads: 267 |
| Shutouts | 37 | Leads: 49 |
| Saves | Leads: 20 | 7 |
| Strikeouts | 1,709 | Leads: 3,192 |
| Walks not scored | 824 | 997 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,206 | 4,142 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 259 | 484 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,262.2 | Leads: 4,500.2 |
| ERA | 3.40 | Leads: 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 4.71 | Leads: 6.38 |
| BB/9 | 2.27 | Leads: 1.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fergie Jenkins leads Larry Jackson 40,614 to 30,735 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Fergie Jenkins played 20 seasons to Larry Jackson's 15, while Larry Jackson carries the higher per-season figure (2,049 to 2,031). 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).
Larry Jackson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Fergie Jenkins — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fergie Jenkins leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Larry Jackson owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fergie Jenkins. PIV agrees: Fergie Jenkins grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Larry Jackson and Fergie Jenkins careers compare
The careers of Larry Jackson (1955–1968) and Fergie Jenkins (1965–1983) overlapped from 1965 to 1968, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 558 games against 664 across 15 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Larry Jackson's edges on the table are saves (20 to 7). The per-nine rows read 4.71 strikeouts and 2.27 walks for Larry Jackson, 6.38 and 1.99 for Fergie Jenkins. Larry Jackson was mainly a starter (429 starts in 558 games), and Fergie Jenkins was mainly a starter (594 starts in 664 games). Fergie Jenkins allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.14 WHIP to Larry Jackson's 1.24.
Larry Jackson vs Fergie Jenkins: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Jackson or Fergie Jenkins?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fergie Jenkins leads Larry Jackson in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 3.34 to Larry Jackson's 3.40.
- Who won more games?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 284 to Larry Jackson's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 3,192 to Larry Jackson's 1,709.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 1.14 to Larry Jackson's 1.24.