Sandy Koufax vs Mickey Lolich: Career Stats Comparison
Mickey Lolich has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Mickey Lolich played 1963–1979 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 Mickey Lolich (1963–1979) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts; Mickey Lolich finished with 217 wins and 2,832 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 Mickey Lolich's 3.44.
- Who won more games? Mickey Lolich, with 217 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mickey Lolich, with 2,832 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Mickey Lolich's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Mickey Lolich, with 3,638.1 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mickey Lolich, with 41 to Sandy Koufax's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Mickey Lolich's 32,209.
Sandy Koufax
Mickey Lolich
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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Sandy Koufax | Mickey Lolich |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 165 | Leads: 217 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 191 |
| Games | 397 | Leads: 586 |
| Games Started | 314 | Leads: 496 |
| Complete Games | 137 | Leads: 195 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 41 |
| Saves | 9 | Leads: 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,396 | Leads: 2,832 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 1,099 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 3,366 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,324.1 | Leads: 3,638.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 3.44 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.23 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.28 | 7.01 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.72 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Mickey Lolich 63,020 to 32,209 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 2,013 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Mickey Lolich'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)
Mickey Lolich — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sandy Koufax leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Mickey Lolich owns wins, strikeouts, 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 Mickey Lolich careers compare
From 1963 through 1966, Sandy Koufax and Mickey Lolich were in the majors together. With 397 games against 586 across 12 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Sandy Koufax's edges on the table are ERA (2.76 to 3.44), WHIP (1.11 to 1.23), and strikeouts per nine (9.28 to 7.01). The per-nine rows read 9.28 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Sandy Koufax, 7.01 and 2.72 for Mickey Lolich. Both had the same role: Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games); Mickey Lolich was mainly a starter (496 starts in 586 games). In WHIP, Sandy Koufax's 1.11 beats Mickey Lolich's 1.23.
Sandy Koufax vs Mickey Lolich: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sandy Koufax or Mickey Lolich?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Mickey Lolich leads Sandy Koufax in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Mickey Lolich's 3.44.
- Who won more games?
- Mickey Lolich, with 217 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mickey Lolich, with 2,832 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Mickey Lolich's 1.23.