Jerry Koosman vs Tug McGraw: Career Stats Comparison
Jerry Koosman 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). Jerry Koosman played 1967–1985 as a pitcher; Tug McGraw 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
Jerry Koosman (1967–1985) and Tug McGraw (1965–1984) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jerry Koosman finished with 222 wins and 2,556 strikeouts; Tug McGraw finished with 96 wins and 1,109 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tug McGraw, with 3.14 to Jerry Koosman's 3.36.
- Who won more games? Jerry Koosman, with 222 to Tug McGraw's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jerry Koosman, with 2,556 to Tug McGraw's 1,109.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tug McGraw, with 1.25 to Jerry Koosman's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Jerry Koosman, with 3,839.1 to Tug McGraw's 1,514.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jerry Koosman, with 33 to Tug McGraw's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jerry Koosman, with 42,939 career Pitcher PIV to Tug McGraw's 16,151.
Jerry Koosman
Tug McGraw
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jerry Koosman | Tug McGraw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 222 | 96 |
| Losses not scored | 209 | 92 |
| Games | 612 | Leads: 824 |
| Games Started | Leads: 527 | 39 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 140 | 5 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 33 | 1 |
| Saves | 17 | Leads: 180 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,556 | 1,109 |
| Walks not scored | 1,198 | 582 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,635 | 1,318 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 290 | 108 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,839.1 | 1,514.2 |
| ERA | 3.36 | Leads: 3.14 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.25 |
| K/9 | 5.99 | Leads: 6.59 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.81 | 3.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jerry Koosman outpaces Tug McGraw 42,939 to 16,151 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,147 PIV per season to 850, across 20 seasons to 19. 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).
Jerry Koosman — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tug McGraw
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jerry Koosman leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Tug McGraw owns ERA, WHIP, 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.
Related Matchups
How the Jerry Koosman and Tug McGraw careers compare
From 1967 through 1984, Jerry Koosman and Tug McGraw were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 612 games for Jerry Koosman and 824 for Tug McGraw across 20 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Jerry Koosman struck out 5.99 and walked 2.81 per nine innings; Tug McGraw struck out 6.59 and walked 3.46. Jerry Koosman was mainly a starter (527 starts in 612 games), while Tug McGraw worked mostly in relief (39 starts in 824 games, 180 saves). Complete games (140 to 5) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Jerry Koosman vs Tug McGraw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jerry Koosman or Tug McGraw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jerry Koosman leads Tug McGraw in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tug McGraw, with 3.14 to Jerry Koosman's 3.36.
- Who won more games?
- Jerry Koosman, with 222 to Tug McGraw's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jerry Koosman, with 2,556 to Tug McGraw's 1,109.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tug McGraw, with 1.25 to Jerry Koosman's 1.26.