Larry Jackson vs Jim Kaat: Career Stats Comparison
Larry Jackson (1955–1968) and Jim Kaat (1959–1983) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Larry Jackson compiled 194 wins and 1,709 strikeouts; Jim Kaat put up 283 wins and 2,461 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Larry Jackson
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Larry Jackson | Jim Kaat |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | 283 |
| Losses | 183 | 237 |
| Games | 558 | 898 |
| Games Started | 429 | 625 |
| Complete Games | 149 | 180 |
| Shutouts | 37 | 31 |
| Saves | 20 | 18 |
| Strikeouts | 1,709 | 2,461 |
| Walks | 824 | 1,083 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,206 | 4,620 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 259 | 395 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,262 | 4,530 |
| ERA | 3.40 | 3.45 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 4.71 | 4.89 |
| BB/9 | 2.27 | 2.15 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Larry Jackson leads Jim Kaat 30,735 to 26,792 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,049 vs 957 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Jim Kaat — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Kaat leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Larry Jackson owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Kaat. Note that PIV actually grades Larry Jackson ahead, which means Jim Kaat's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.