Jim Kaat vs Tarik Skubal: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Kaat has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Tarik Skubal has played 2020–present 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 Tarik Skubal (2020–present) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Kaat finished with 283 wins and 2,461 strikeouts; Tarik Skubal has 66 wins and 1,075 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Jim Kaat's 3.45.
- Who won more games? Jim Kaat, with 283 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Kaat, with 2,461 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Jim Kaat's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Kaat, with 4,530.1 to Tarik Skubal's 925.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Kaat, with 31 to Tarik Skubal's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Kaat, with 26,792 career Pitcher PIV to Tarik Skubal's 20,288.
Jim Kaat
Tarik Skubal
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 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Tarik Skubal is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Jim Kaat | Tarik Skubal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 283 | 66 |
| Losses not scored | 237 | 44 |
| Games | Leads: 898 | 163 |
| Games Started | Leads: 625 | 160 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 180 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 31 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,461 | 1,075 |
| Walks not scored | 1,083 | 199 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,620 | 740 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 395 | 104 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,530.1 | 925.1 |
| ERA | 3.45 | Leads: 3.02 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 4.89 | Leads: 10.46 |
| BB/9 | 2.15 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Kaat leads Tarik Skubal 26,792 to 20,288 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Jim Kaat played 28 seasons to Tarik Skubal's 6, while Tarik Skubal carries the higher per-season figure (3,381 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)
Tarik Skubal — 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 Tarik Skubal 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 Tarik Skubal careers compare
Jim Kaat (1959–1983) was finished before Tarik Skubal (2020–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Jim Kaat has the far longer record, 898 games against 163 across 28 and 6 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Tarik Skubal comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.02 to 3.45), WHIP (1.01 to 1.26), and strikeouts per nine (10.46 to 4.89). The per-nine rows read 4.89 strikeouts and 2.15 walks for Jim Kaat, 10.46 and 1.94 for Tarik Skubal. Their roles differ: Jim Kaat split time between starting and relief (625 starts in 898 games); Tarik Skubal was mainly a starter (160 starts in 163 games). Tarik Skubal's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Jim Kaat vs Tarik Skubal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Kaat or Tarik Skubal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Kaat leads Tarik Skubal in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Jim Kaat's 3.45.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Kaat, with 283 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Kaat, with 2,461 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Jim Kaat's 1.26.