Sandy Koufax vs Hal Newhouser: Career Stats Comparison
Sandy Koufax and Hal Newhouser 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; Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 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 Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts; Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 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 Hal Newhouser's 3.06.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Hal Newhouser, with 2,993.0 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sandy Koufax, with 40 to Hal Newhouser's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Hal Newhouser's 43,492.
Sandy Koufax
Hal Newhouser
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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Sandy Koufax | Hal Newhouser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 165 | Leads: 207 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 150 |
| Games | 397 | Leads: 488 |
| Games Started | 314 | Leads: 374 |
| Complete Games | 137 | Leads: 212 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 40 | 33 |
| Saves | 9 | Leads: 26 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,396 | 1,796 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 1,249 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 2,674 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 137 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,324.1 | Leads: 2,993.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.28 | 5.40 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.16 | 3.76 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Hal Newhouser 63,020 to 43,492 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 2,558 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Hal Newhouser's 17. 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)
Hal Newhouser — 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 Hal Newhouser 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 Hal Newhouser careers compare
From 1955 through 1955, Sandy Koufax and Hal Newhouser were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 397 games for Sandy Koufax and 488 for Hal Newhouser across 12 and 17 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; Hal Newhouser struck out 5.40 and walked 3.76. Both had the same role: Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games); Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games). In WHIP, Sandy Koufax's 1.11 beats Hal Newhouser's 1.31.
Sandy Koufax vs Hal Newhouser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Hal Newhouser's 3.06.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Hal Newhouser's 1.31.