Walter Johnson vs Robin Roberts: Career Stats Comparison
Walter Johnson has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Walter Johnson played 1907–1927 as a pitcher; Robin Roberts played 1948–1966 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
Walter Johnson (1907–1927) and Robin Roberts (1948–1966) — breaking in during the 1900s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Walter Johnson finished with 417 wins and 3,509 strikeouts; Robin Roberts finished with 286 wins and 2,357 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Walter Johnson, with 2.17 to Robin Roberts's 3.41.
- Who won more games? Walter Johnson, with 417 to Robin Roberts's 286.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Walter Johnson, with 3,509 to Robin Roberts's 2,357.
- Who had the better WHIP? Walter Johnson, with 1.06 to Robin Roberts's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Walter Johnson, with 5,914.2 to Robin Roberts's 4,688.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Walter Johnson, with 110 to Robin Roberts's 45.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Walter Johnson, with 124,021 career Pitcher PIV to Robin Roberts's 49,794.
Walter Johnson
Robin Roberts
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 1900s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Walter Johnson | Robin Roberts |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 417 | 286 |
| Losses not scored | 279 | 245 |
| Games | Leads: 802 | 676 |
| Games Started | Leads: 666 | 609 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 531 | 305 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 110 | 45 |
| Saves | Leads: 34 | 25 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,509 | 2,357 |
| Walks not scored | 1,363 | 902 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,913 | 4,582 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 97 | 505 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,914.2 | 4,688.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.17 | 3.41 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.06 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.34 | 4.52 |
| BB/9 | 2.07 | Leads: 1.73 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Walter Johnson outpaces Robin Roberts 124,021 to 49,794 — driven by per-season impact — 5,906 PIV per season to 2,371 — rather than by longevity, since Walter Johnson played 21 seasons to Robin Roberts's 21. 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).
Walter Johnson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Robin Roberts — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Walter Johnson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Robin Roberts owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Walter Johnson. PIV agrees: Walter Johnson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Walter Johnson and Robin Roberts careers compare
No season is shared: Walter Johnson played 1907–1927, Robin Roberts 1948–1966. With 802 games against 676 across 21 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Robin Roberts comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (1.73 to 2.07). The per-nine rows read 5.34 strikeouts and 2.07 walks for Walter Johnson, 4.52 and 1.73 for Robin Roberts. Walter Johnson was mainly a starter (666 starts in 802 games), and Robin Roberts was mainly a starter (609 starts in 676 games). In WHIP, Walter Johnson's 1.06 beats Robin Roberts's 1.17.
Walter Johnson vs Robin Roberts: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Walter Johnson or Robin Roberts?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Walter Johnson leads Robin Roberts in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Walter Johnson, with 2.17 to Robin Roberts's 3.41.
- Who won more games?
- Walter Johnson, with 417 to Robin Roberts's 286.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Walter Johnson, with 3,509 to Robin Roberts's 2,357.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Walter Johnson, with 1.06 to Robin Roberts's 1.17.