Larry Jackson vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
Larry Jackson 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). Larry Jackson played 1955–1968 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
Larry Jackson (1955–1968) and Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Larry Jackson finished with 194 wins and 1,709 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 Larry Jackson's 3.40.
- Who won more games? Larry Jackson, with 194 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Larry Jackson's 1,709.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Larry Jackson's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Larry Jackson, with 3,262.2 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sandy Koufax, with 40 to Larry Jackson's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Larry Jackson's 30,735.
Larry Jackson
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Larry Jackson | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 194 | 165 |
| Losses not scored | 183 | 87 |
| Games | Leads: 558 | 397 |
| Games Started | Leads: 429 | 314 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 149 | 137 |
| Shutouts | 37 | Leads: 40 |
| Saves | Leads: 20 | 9 |
| Strikeouts | 1,709 | Leads: 2,396 |
| Walks not scored | 824 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,206 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 259 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,262.2 | 2,324.1 |
| ERA | 3.40 | Leads: 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 4.71 | Leads: 9.28 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.27 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Larry Jackson 63,020 to 30,735 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 2,049 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Larry Jackson's 15. 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)
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 Larry Jackson 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 Larry Jackson and Sandy Koufax careers compare
From 1955 through 1966, Larry Jackson and Sandy Koufax were in the majors together. With 558 games against 397 across 15 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 4.71 strikeouts and 2.27 walks for Larry Jackson, 9.28 and 3.16 for Sandy Koufax. Larry Jackson was mainly a starter (429 starts in 558 games), and Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games). Sandy Koufax allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.11 WHIP to Larry Jackson's 1.24. Sandy Koufax owns the better peak by ERA: 2.55 ERA in 1963 for Larry Jackson against 1.73 ERA in 1966 for Sandy Koufax.
Larry Jackson vs Sandy Koufax: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Jackson or Sandy Koufax?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Larry Jackson leads Sandy Koufax in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Larry Jackson's 3.40.
- Who won more games?
- Larry Jackson, with 194 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Larry Jackson's 1,709.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Larry Jackson's 1.24.