Jim Kaat vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Kaat has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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 Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Kaat finished with 283 wins and 2,461 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Jim Kaat's 3.45.
- Who won more games? Jim Kaat, with 283 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Kaat, with 2,461 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Jim Kaat's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Kaat, with 4,530.1 to Jim Palmer's 3,948.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Jim Kaat's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Kaat, with 26,792 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Jim Kaat
Jim Palmer
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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Kaat | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 283 | 268 |
| Losses not scored | 237 | 152 |
| Games | Leads: 898 | 558 |
| Games Started | Leads: 625 | 521 |
| Complete Games | 180 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 31 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 18 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,461 | 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 1,083 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,620 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 395 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,530.1 | 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.45 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 4.89 | Leads: 5.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.15 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Kaat outpaces Jim Palmer 26,792 to 19,502 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Kaat played 28 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19, while Jim Palmer carries the higher per-season figure (1,026 to 957). 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)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Kaat leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Jim Palmer owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Kaat. PIV agrees: Jim Kaat 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 Jim Palmer careers compare
The careers of Jim Kaat (1959–1983) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) overlapped from 1965 to 1983, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 898 games of Jim Kaat with 558 of Jim Palmer across 28 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, Jim Kaat struck out 4.89 and walked 2.15 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Jim Kaat split time between starting and relief (625 starts in 898 games), while Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Jim Kaat's 1.26.
Jim Kaat vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Kaat or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Kaat leads Jim Palmer in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Jim Kaat's 3.45.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Kaat, with 283 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Kaat, with 2,461 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Jim Kaat's 1.26.