Jerry Koosman vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jerry Koosman played 1967–1985 as a pitcher; Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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 Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — both debuted in the 1960s. Jerry Koosman finished with 222 wins and 2,556 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Gaylord Perry, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Jerry Koosman's 3.36.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Jerry Koosman's 222.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Jerry Koosman's 2,556.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Jerry Koosman's 1.26.
- How many innings did each pitch? Jerry Koosman 3,839.1, Gaylord Perry 5,350.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Jerry Koosman's 33.
Jerry Koosman
Gaylord Perry
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 222 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 209 | 265 |
| Games not scored | 612 | 777 |
| Games Started not scored | 527 | 690 |
| Complete Games | 140 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 33 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves not scored | 17 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,556 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 1,198 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,635 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 290 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,839.1 | 5,350.1 |
| ERA | 3.36 | Leads: 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.99 | 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 2.81 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Jerry Koosman 78,312 to 42,939 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,560 PIV per season to 2,260, across 22 seasons to 19. 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)
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Gaylord Perry leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Jerry Koosman leads 1: strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry 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 Gaylord Perry careers compare
Jerry Koosman and Gaylord Perry were active at the same time between 1967 and 1983. The two careers are close in length, 612 games for Jerry Koosman and 777 for Gaylord Perry across 19 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jerry Koosman's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (5.99 to 5.94). By rate, Jerry Koosman struck out 5.99 and walked 2.81 per nine innings; Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32. Both had the same role: Jerry Koosman was mainly a starter (527 starts in 612 games); Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games).
Jerry Koosman vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jerry Koosman or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Jerry Koosman in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Jerry Koosman's 3.36.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Jerry Koosman's 222.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Jerry Koosman's 2,556.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Jerry Koosman's 1.26.