Sandy Koufax vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 as a pitcher; Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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 Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Sandy Koufax compiled 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry put up 314 wins and 3,534 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 Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Gaylord Perry's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Sandy Koufax's 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Sandy Koufax's 63,020.
Sandy Koufax
Gaylord Perry
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Sandy Koufax | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 165 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses | 87 | 265 |
| Games | 397 | Leads: 777 |
| Games Started | 314 | Leads: 690 |
| Complete Games | 137 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | 9 | Leads: 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,396 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks | 817 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,754 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 204 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,324 | Leads: 5,350 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 3.11 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.28 | 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry leads Sandy Koufax 78,312 to 63,020 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,132 vs 5,252 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gaylord Perry leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Sandy Koufax owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Sandy Koufax vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sandy Koufax or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Sandy Koufax in 9 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Gaylord Perry's 1.18.