Sandy Koufax vs Pedro Martinez: Career Stats Comparison
Pedro Martinez 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; Pedro Martinez played 1992–2009 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 Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts; Pedro Martinez finished with 219 wins and 3,154 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 Pedro Martinez's 2.93.
- Who won more games? Pedro Martinez, with 219 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Sandy Koufax's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Pedro Martinez, with 2,827.1 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sandy Koufax, with 40 to Pedro Martinez's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pedro Martinez, with 113,314 career Pitcher PIV to Sandy Koufax's 63,020.
Sandy Koufax
Pedro Martinez
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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Sandy Koufax | Pedro Martinez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 165 | Leads: 219 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 100 |
| Games | 397 | Leads: 476 |
| Games Started | 314 | Leads: 409 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 137 | 46 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 17 |
| Saves | Leads: 9 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | 2,396 | Leads: 3,154 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 760 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 2,221 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 239 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,324.1 | Leads: 2,827.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | Leads: 1.05 |
| K/9 | 9.28 | Leads: 10.04 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.42 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pedro Martinez outpaces Sandy Koufax 113,314 to 63,020 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 6,295 PIV per season to 5,252, across 18 seasons to 12. 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)
Pedro Martinez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pedro Martinez leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Sandy Koufax owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pedro Martinez. PIV agrees: Pedro Martinez 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 Pedro Martinez careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Sandy Koufax's ended in 1966, and Pedro Martinez debuted in 1992. With 397 games against 476 across 12 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Sandy Koufax's edges on the table are complete games (137 to 46), shutouts (40 to 17), and saves (9 to 3). By rate, Sandy Koufax struck out 9.28 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Pedro Martinez struck out 10.04 and walked 2.42. Both had the same role: Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games); Pedro Martinez was mainly a starter (409 starts in 476 games).
Sandy Koufax vs Pedro Martinez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sandy Koufax or Pedro Martinez?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pedro Martinez leads Sandy Koufax in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Pedro Martinez's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- Pedro Martinez, with 219 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Sandy Koufax's 1.11.