Sandy Koufax vs Vern Law: Career Stats Comparison
Sandy Koufax 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). Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 as a pitcher; Vern Law played 1950–1967 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
Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) and Vern Law (1950–1967) — both came up during the 1950s, so the matchup is a direct one. Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts; Vern Law finished with 162 wins and 1,092 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Vern Law's 3.77.
- Who won more games? Sandy Koufax, with 165 to Vern Law's 162.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Vern Law's 1,092.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Vern Law's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Vern Law, with 2,672.0 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sandy Koufax, with 40 to Vern Law's 28.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Vern Law's 8,173.
Sandy Koufax
Vern Law
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 | Sandy Koufax | Vern Law |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 165 | 162 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 147 |
| Games | 397 | Leads: 483 |
| Games Started | 314 | Leads: 364 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 137 | 119 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 28 |
| Saves | 9 | Leads: 13 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,396 | 1,092 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 597 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 2,833 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 268 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,324.1 | Leads: 2,672.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 3.77 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.28 | 3.68 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Vern Law 63,020 to 8,173 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 511 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Vern Law's 16. 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).
Sandy Koufax — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Vern Law — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sandy Koufax leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Vern Law owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sandy Koufax. PIV agrees: Sandy Koufax grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Sandy Koufax and Vern Law careers compare
From 1955 through 1966, Sandy Koufax and Vern Law were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 397 games for Sandy Koufax and 483 for Vern Law across 12 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Sandy Koufax struck out 9.28 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Vern Law struck out 3.68 and walked 2.01. Both had the same role: Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games); Vern Law was mainly a starter (364 starts in 483 games). Sandy Koufax allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.11 WHIP to Vern Law's 1.28.
Sandy Koufax vs Vern Law: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sandy Koufax or Vern Law?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sandy Koufax leads Vern Law in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Vern Law's 3.77.
- Who won more games?
- Sandy Koufax, with 165 to Vern Law's 162.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Vern Law's 1,092.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Vern Law's 1.28.