Jim Kaat vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Jim Kaat played 1959–1983 as a pitcher; Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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 Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — 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; Tom Seaver put up 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Jim Kaat's 3.45.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Jim Kaat's 283.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Jim Kaat's 2,461.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Jim Kaat's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Seaver, with 4,782 to Jim Kaat's 4,530.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Jim Kaat's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Seaver, with 79,192 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Kaat's 26,792.
Tom Seaver
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Jim Kaat | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 283 | Leads: 311 |
| Losses | 237 | 205 |
| Games | Leads: 898 | 656 |
| Games Started | 625 | Leads: 647 |
| Complete Games | 180 | Leads: 231 |
| Shutouts | 31 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | Leads: 18 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,461 | Leads: 3,640 |
| Walks | 1,083 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,620 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 395 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,530 | Leads: 4,782 |
| ERA | 3.45 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 4.89 | Leads: 6.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.15 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Jim Kaat 79,192 to 26,792 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,600 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)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jim Kaat owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Jim Kaat vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Kaat or Tom Seaver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Jim Kaat in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Jim Kaat's 3.45.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Jim Kaat's 283.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Jim Kaat's 2,461.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Jim Kaat's 1.26.