Tommy John vs Steve Rogers: Career Stats Comparison
Tommy John has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1970s respectively and share 13 seasons. Tommy John finished with 288 wins and 2,245 strikeouts; Steve Rogers finished with 158 wins and 1,621 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Tommy John, in 5 of the 8 scored 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.
- How many innings did each pitch? Tommy John 4,710.1, Steve Rogers 2,837.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tommy John, with 46 to Steve Rogers's 37.
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. 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 | Tommy John | Steve Rogers |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 288 | 158 |
| Losses not scored | 231 | 152 |
| Games not scored | 760 | 399 |
| Games Started not scored | 700 | 393 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 162 | 129 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 46 | 37 |
| Saves not scored | 4 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,245 | 1,621 |
| Walks not scored | 1,259 | 876 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,783 | 2,619 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 302 | 151 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,710.1 | 2,837.2 |
| 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 — driven by per-season impact — 3,405 PIV per season to 1,531 — rather than by longevity, since Steve Rogers played 13 seasons to Tommy John's 26. 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
Tommy John leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Steve Rogers leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tommy John. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Steve Rogers higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tommy John and Steve Rogers careers compare
From 1973 through 1985, Tommy John and Steve Rogers were in the majors together. The table compares 760 games of Tommy John with 399 of Steve Rogers across 26 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Steve Rogers's edges on the table are ERA (3.17 to 3.34), WHIP (1.23 to 1.28), and strikeouts per nine (5.14 to 4.29). By rate, Tommy John struck out 4.29 and walked 2.41 per nine innings; Steve Rogers struck out 5.14 and walked 2.78. Tommy John was mainly a starter (700 starts in 760 games), and Steve Rogers was mainly a starter (393 starts in 399 games). In WHIP, Steve Rogers's 1.23 beats Tommy John's 1.28.
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 5 of the 8 scored 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.