Sandy Koufax vs Phil Niekro: Career Stats Comparison
Phil Niekro 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; Phil Niekro played 1964–1987 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 Phil Niekro (1964–1987) — 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; Phil Niekro finished with 318 wins and 3,342 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 Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games? Phil Niekro, with 318 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Phil Niekro, with 5,404.1 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Phil Niekro, with 45 to Sandy Koufax's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Phil Niekro's 13,102.
Sandy Koufax
Phil Niekro
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 | Phil Niekro |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 165 | Leads: 318 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 274 |
| Games | 397 | Leads: 864 |
| Games Started | 314 | Leads: 716 |
| Complete Games | 137 | Leads: 245 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 45 |
| Saves | 9 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | 2,396 | Leads: 3,342 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 1,809 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 5,044 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 482 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,324.1 | Leads: 5,404.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 3.35 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.28 | 5.57 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 3.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Phil Niekro 63,020 to 13,102 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 504 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Phil Niekro's 26. 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)
Phil Niekro — 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 Phil Niekro 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 Phil Niekro careers compare
The careers of Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) and Phil Niekro (1964–1987) overlapped from 1964 to 1966, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Sandy Koufax appeared in 397 games to Phil Niekro's 864. Where Sandy Koufax comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.76 to 3.35), WHIP (1.11 to 1.27), and strikeouts per nine (9.28 to 5.57). By rate, Sandy Koufax struck out 9.28 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Phil Niekro struck out 5.57 and walked 3.01.
Sandy Koufax vs Phil Niekro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sandy Koufax or Phil Niekro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Phil Niekro leads Sandy Koufax in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games?
- Phil Niekro, with 318 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.