Jim Kaat vs Christy Mathewson: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Kaat played 1959–1983 as a pitcher; Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 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
Jim Kaat (1959–1983) and Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Kaat finished with 283 wins and 2,461 strikeouts; Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Jim Kaat's 3.45.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Jim Kaat's 283.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Jim Kaat's 2,461.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Jim Kaat's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Christy Mathewson, with 4,788.2 to Jim Kaat's 4,530.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Jim Kaat's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Kaat's 26,792.
Jim Kaat
Christy Mathewson
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 1950s and the 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Kaat | Christy Mathewson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 283 | Leads: 373 |
| Losses not scored | 237 | 188 |
| Games | Leads: 898 | 636 |
| Games Started | Leads: 625 | 552 |
| Complete Games | 180 | Leads: 435 |
| Shutouts | 31 | Leads: 79 |
| Saves | 18 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | 2,461 | Leads: 2,507 |
| Walks not scored | 1,083 | 848 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,620 | 4,219 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 395 | 90 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,530.1 | Leads: 4,788.2 |
| ERA | 3.45 | Leads: 2.13 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.06 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.89 | 4.71 |
| BB/9 | 2.15 | Leads: 1.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson outpaces Jim Kaat 82,446 to 26,792 — driven by per-season impact — 4,580 PIV per season to 957 — rather than by longevity, since Christy Mathewson played 18 seasons to Jim Kaat's 28. 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).
Jim Kaat — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Christy Mathewson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Christy Mathewson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jim Kaat owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Christy Mathewson. PIV agrees: Christy Mathewson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Kaat and Christy Mathewson careers compare
Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) was finished before Jim Kaat (1959–1983) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 898 games for Jim Kaat and 636 for Christy Mathewson across 28 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jim Kaat comes out ahead, it is in games (898 to 636), starts (625 to 552), and strikeouts per nine (4.89 to 4.71). By rate, Jim Kaat struck out 4.89 and walked 2.15 per nine innings; Christy Mathewson struck out 4.71 and walked 1.59.
Jim Kaat vs Christy Mathewson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Kaat or Christy Mathewson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Jim Kaat in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Jim Kaat's 3.45.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Jim Kaat's 283.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Jim Kaat's 2,461.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Jim Kaat's 1.26.