Jerry Koosman vs Sam McDowell: Career Stats Comparison
Jerry Koosman (1967–1985) and Sam McDowell (1961–1975) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jerry Koosman compiled 222 wins and 2,556 strikeouts; Sam McDowell put up 141 wins and 2,453 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Jerry Koosman
Sam McDowell
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 | Jerry Koosman | Sam McDowell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 222 | 141 |
| Losses | 209 | 134 |
| Games | 612 | 425 |
| Games Started | 527 | 346 |
| Complete Games | 140 | 103 |
| Shutouts | 33 | 23 |
| Saves | 17 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | 2,556 | 2,453 |
| Walks | 1,198 | 1,312 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,635 | 1,948 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 290 | 164 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,839 | 2,492 |
| ERA | 3.36 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 5.99 | 8.86 |
| BB/9 | 2.81 | 4.74 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jerry Koosman outpaces Sam McDowell 42,939 to 29,989 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,147 vs 1,874 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).
Jerry Koosman — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Sam McDowell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jerry Koosman leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Sam McDowell owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jerry Koosman. PIV agrees: Jerry Koosman grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.