Randy Johnson vs Andy Pettitte: Career Stats Comparison
Randy Johnson has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Randy Johnson played 1988–2009 as a pitcher; Andy Pettitte played 1995–2013 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
Randy Johnson (1988–2009) and Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) — they debuted in the 1980s and the 1990s respectively and share 15 seasons. Randy Johnson finished with 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts; Andy Pettitte finished with 256 wins and 2,448 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Randy Johnson, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Randy Johnson, with 3.29 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Randy Johnson, with 303 to Andy Pettitte's 256.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP? Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
- How many innings did each pitch? Randy Johnson 4,135.1, Andy Pettitte 3,316.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Randy Johnson, with 37 to Andy Pettitte's 4.
Randy Johnson
Andy Pettitte
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 | Randy Johnson | Andy Pettitte |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 303 | 256 |
| Losses not scored | 166 | 153 |
| Games not scored | 618 | 531 |
| Games Started not scored | 603 | 521 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 100 | 26 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 37 | 4 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,875 | 2,448 |
| Walks not scored | 1,497 | 1,031 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,346 | 3,448 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 411 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,135.1 | 3,316.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.29 | 3.85 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.61 | 6.64 |
| BB/9 | 3.26 | Leads: 2.80 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Randy Johnson outpaces Andy Pettitte 122,530 to 57,293 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,570 PIV per season to 3,183, across 22 seasons to 18. 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).
Randy Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Andy Pettitte — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Randy Johnson leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Andy Pettitte leads 1: walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Randy Johnson. PIV agrees: Randy Johnson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Randy Johnson and Andy Pettitte careers compare
The careers of Randy Johnson (1988–2009) and Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) overlapped from 1995 to 2009, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 618 games against 531 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Andy Pettitte's edges on the table are walks per nine (2.80 to 3.26). By rate, Randy Johnson struck out 10.61 and walked 3.26 per nine innings; Andy Pettitte struck out 6.64 and walked 2.80. Both had the same role: Randy Johnson was mainly a starter (603 starts in 618 games); Andy Pettitte was mainly a starter (521 starts in 531 games).
Randy Johnson vs Andy Pettitte: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Randy Johnson or Andy Pettitte?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Randy Johnson leads Andy Pettitte in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Randy Johnson, with 3.29 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Randy Johnson, with 303 to Andy Pettitte's 256.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Randy Johnson, with 4,875 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Randy Johnson, with 1.17 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.