Jim Kaat vs Juan Marichal: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Kaat (1959–1983) and Juan Marichal (1960–1975) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Kaat compiled 283 wins and 2,461 strikeouts; Juan Marichal put up 243 wins and 2,303 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Juan Marichal
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Jim Kaat | Juan Marichal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 283 | 243 |
| Losses | 237 | 142 |
| Games | 898 | 471 |
| Games Started | 625 | 457 |
| Complete Games | 180 | 244 |
| Shutouts | 31 | 52 |
| Saves | 18 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 2,461 | 2,303 |
| Walks | 1,083 | 709 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,620 | 3,153 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 395 | 320 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,530 | 3,507 |
| ERA | 3.45 | 2.89 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.10 |
| K/9 | 4.89 | 5.91 |
| BB/9 | 2.15 | 1.82 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Juan Marichal outpaces Jim Kaat 48,870 to 26,792 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,054 vs 957 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).
Jim Kaat — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Juan Marichal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Juan Marichal leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Jim Kaat owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Juan Marichal. PIV agrees: Juan Marichal grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.