Tommy John vs Steve Rogers: Career Stats Comparison
Tommy John has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Tommy John played 1963–1989 as a pitcher; Steve Rogers played 1973–1985 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
Tommy John (1963–1989) and Steve Rogers (1973–1985) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tommy John compiled 288 wins and 2,245 strikeouts; Steve Rogers put up 158 wins and 1,621 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Rogers, with 3.17 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Tommy John, with 288 to Steve Rogers's 158.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tommy John, with 2,245 to Steve Rogers's 1,621.
- Who had the better WHIP? Steve Rogers, with 1.23 to Tommy John's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Tommy John, with 4,710 to Steve Rogers's 2,837.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tommy John, with 46 to Steve Rogers's 37.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Rogers, with 44,265 career Pitcher PIV to Tommy John's 39,802.
Tommy John
Steve Rogers
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Tommy John | Steve Rogers |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 288 | 158 |
| Losses | 231 | 152 |
| Games | Leads: 760 | 399 |
| Games Started | Leads: 700 | 393 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 162 | 129 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 46 | 37 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,245 | 1,621 |
| Walks | 1,259 | 876 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,783 | 2,619 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 302 | 151 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,710 | 2,837 |
| ERA | 3.34 | Leads: 3.17 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.23 |
| K/9 | 4.29 | Leads: 5.14 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.41 | 2.78 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Rogers leads Tommy John 44,265 to 39,802 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,405 vs 1,422 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).
Tommy John — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Steve Rogers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Rogers leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tommy John owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Rogers. PIV agrees: Steve Rogers grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Tommy John vs Steve Rogers: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tommy John or Steve Rogers?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tommy John leads Steve Rogers in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Rogers, with 3.17 to Tommy John's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Tommy John, with 288 to Steve Rogers's 158.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tommy John, with 2,245 to Steve Rogers's 1,621.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Steve Rogers, with 1.23 to Tommy John's 1.28.