Sandy Koufax vs Juan Marichal: Career Stats Comparison
Juan Marichal has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Juan Marichal played 1960–1975 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 Juan Marichal (1960–1975) — 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; Juan Marichal finished with 243 wins and 2,303 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 Juan Marichal's 2.89.
- Who won more games? Juan Marichal, with 243 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP? Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Sandy Koufax's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Juan Marichal, with 3,507.1 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Juan Marichal, with 52 to Sandy Koufax's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Juan Marichal's 48,870.
Sandy Koufax
Juan Marichal
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 | Juan Marichal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 165 | Leads: 243 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 142 |
| Games | 397 | Leads: 471 |
| Games Started | 314 | Leads: 457 |
| Complete Games | 137 | Leads: 244 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 52 |
| Saves | Leads: 9 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,396 | 2,303 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 709 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 3,153 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 320 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,324.1 | Leads: 3,507.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 2.89 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.28 | 5.91 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 1.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax leads Juan Marichal 63,020 to 48,870 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 3,054 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Juan Marichal'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)
Juan Marichal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sandy Koufax leads in strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Juan Marichal owns wins, WHIP, 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 Juan Marichal careers compare
Sandy Koufax and Juan Marichal were active at the same time between 1960 and 1966. The two careers are close in length, 397 games for Sandy Koufax and 471 for Juan Marichal across 12 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Sandy Koufax's edges on the table are saves (9 to 2), strikeouts (2,396 to 2,303), and ERA (2.76 to 2.89). The per-nine rows read 9.28 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Sandy Koufax, 5.91 and 1.82 for Juan Marichal. Both had the same role: Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games); Juan Marichal was mainly a starter (457 starts in 471 games).
Sandy Koufax vs Juan Marichal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sandy Koufax or Juan Marichal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Juan Marichal leads Sandy Koufax in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Juan Marichal's 2.89.
- Who won more games?
- Juan Marichal, with 243 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Sandy Koufax's 1.11.