Sandy Koufax vs Bob Lemon: Career Stats Comparison
Sandy Koufax and Bob Lemon are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 as a pitcher; Bob Lemon played 1941–1958 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 Bob Lemon (1941–1958) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts; Bob Lemon finished with 207 wins and 1,277 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 Bob Lemon's 3.23.
- Who won more games? Bob Lemon, with 207 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Bob Lemon's 1,277.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Bob Lemon's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Bob Lemon, with 2,850.0 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sandy Koufax, with 40 to Bob Lemon's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Lemon's 14,410.
Sandy Koufax
Bob Lemon
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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Sandy Koufax | Bob Lemon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 165 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 128 |
| Games | 397 | Leads: 460 |
| Games Started | 314 | Leads: 350 |
| Complete Games | 137 | Leads: 188 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 31 |
| Saves | 9 | Leads: 22 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,396 | 1,277 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 1,251 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 2,559 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 181 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,324.1 | Leads: 2,850.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 3.23 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.28 | 4.03 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.16 | 3.95 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Bob Lemon 63,020 to 14,410 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 1,108 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Bob Lemon's 13. 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)
Bob Lemon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sandy Koufax leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bob Lemon owns wins and 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 Bob Lemon careers compare
From 1955 through 1958, Sandy Koufax and Bob Lemon were in the majors together. With 397 games against 460 across 12 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Sandy Koufax struck out 9.28 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Bob Lemon struck out 4.03 and walked 3.95. Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games), and Bob Lemon was mainly a starter (350 starts in 460 games). In WHIP, Sandy Koufax's 1.11 beats Bob Lemon's 1.34. Sandy Koufax owns the better peak by ERA: 1.73 ERA in 1966 for Sandy Koufax against 2.50 ERA in 1952 for Bob Lemon.
Sandy Koufax vs Bob Lemon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Bob Lemon's 3.23.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Lemon, with 207 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Bob Lemon's 1,277.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Bob Lemon's 1.34.