Fergie Jenkins vs Curt Schilling: Career Stats Comparison
Fergie Jenkins has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Fergie Jenkins played 1965–1983 as a pitcher; Curt Schilling played 1988–2007 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 Curt Schilling (1988–2007) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Fergie Jenkins finished with 284 wins and 3,192 strikeouts; Curt Schilling finished with 216 wins and 3,116 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 Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Fergie Jenkins, with 284 to Curt Schilling's 216.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Fergie Jenkins, with 3,192 to Curt Schilling's 3,116.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Fergie Jenkins, with 4,500.2 to Curt Schilling's 3,261.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Fergie Jenkins, with 49 to Curt Schilling's 20.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Fergie Jenkins's 40,614.
Fergie Jenkins
Curt Schilling
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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Fergie Jenkins | Curt Schilling |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 284 | 216 |
| Losses not scored | 226 | 146 |
| Games | Leads: 664 | 569 |
| Games Started | Leads: 594 | 436 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 267 | 83 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 49 | 20 |
| Saves | 7 | Leads: 22 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,192 | 3,116 |
| Walks not scored | 997 | 711 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,142 | 2,998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 484 | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,500.2 | 3,261.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.34 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 6.38 | Leads: 8.60 |
| BB/9 | 1.99 | Leads: 1.96 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling outpaces Fergie Jenkins 98,246 to 40,614 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,678 PIV per season to 2,031, across 21 seasons to 20. 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).
Fergie Jenkins — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Curt Schilling — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fergie Jenkins leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Curt Schilling owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fergie Jenkins. Note that PIV actually grades Curt Schilling ahead, which means Fergie Jenkins's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Fergie Jenkins and Curt Schilling careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Fergie Jenkins's ended in 1983, and Curt Schilling debuted in 1988. The two careers are close in length, 664 games for Fergie Jenkins and 569 for Curt Schilling across 20 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Curt Schilling comes out ahead, it is in saves (22 to 7), WHIP (1.14 to 1.14), and strikeouts per nine (8.60 to 6.38). By rate, Fergie Jenkins struck out 6.38 and walked 1.99 per nine innings; Curt Schilling struck out 8.60 and walked 1.96.
Fergie Jenkins vs Curt Schilling: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fergie Jenkins or Curt Schilling?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fergie Jenkins leads Curt Schilling in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 3.34 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 284 to Curt Schilling's 216.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 3,192 to Curt Schilling's 3,116.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.14.