Fergie Jenkins vs Juan Marichal: Career Stats Comparison
Fergie Jenkins and Juan Marichal are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Fergie Jenkins played 1965–1983 as a pitcher; Juan Marichal played 1960–1975 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
Fergie Jenkins (1965–1983) and Juan Marichal (1960–1975) — both debuted in the 1960s. Fergie Jenkins finished with 284 wins and 3,192 strikeouts; Juan Marichal finished with 243 wins and 2,303 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Juan Marichal, with 2.89 to Fergie Jenkins's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Fergie Jenkins, with 284 to Juan Marichal's 243.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Fergie Jenkins, with 3,192 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP? Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Fergie Jenkins's 1.14.
- How many innings did each pitch? Fergie Jenkins 4,500.2, Juan Marichal 3,507.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Juan Marichal, with 52 to Fergie Jenkins's 49.
Fergie Jenkins
Juan Marichal
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Fergie Jenkins | Juan Marichal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 284 | 243 |
| Losses not scored | 226 | 142 |
| Games not scored | 664 | 471 |
| Games Started not scored | 594 | 457 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 267 | 244 |
| Shutouts | 49 | Leads: 52 |
| Saves not scored | 7 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,192 | 2,303 |
| Walks not scored | 997 | 709 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,142 | 3,153 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 484 | 320 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,500.2 | 3,507.1 |
| ERA | 3.34 | Leads: 2.89 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.38 | 5.91 |
| BB/9 | 1.99 | Leads: 1.82 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Juan Marichal leads Fergie Jenkins 48,870 to 40,614 — driven by per-season impact — 3,054 PIV per season to 2,138 — rather than by longevity, since Juan Marichal played 16 seasons to Fergie Jenkins's 19. 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).
Fergie Jenkins — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Juan Marichal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Fergie Jenkins and Juan Marichal split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Juan Marichal higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fergie Jenkins and Juan Marichal careers compare
From 1965 through 1975, Fergie Jenkins and Juan Marichal were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 664 games for Fergie Jenkins and 471 for Juan Marichal across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Juan Marichal comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (52 to 49), ERA (2.89 to 3.34), and WHIP (1.10 to 1.14). By rate, Fergie Jenkins struck out 6.38 and walked 1.99 per nine innings; Juan Marichal struck out 5.91 and walked 1.82. Fergie Jenkins was mainly a starter (594 starts in 664 games), and Juan Marichal was mainly a starter (457 starts in 471 games).
Fergie Jenkins vs Juan Marichal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fergie Jenkins or Juan Marichal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Juan Marichal, with 2.89 to Fergie Jenkins's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 284 to Juan Marichal's 243.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 3,192 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Fergie Jenkins's 1.14.