Sandy Koufax vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). 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) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1960s respectively and share 5 seasons. Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Gaylord Perry, in 5 of the 8 scored 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.
- How many innings did each pitch? Sandy Koufax 2,324.1, Gaylord Perry 5,350.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Sandy Koufax's 40.
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Sandy Koufax | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 165 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 265 |
| Games not scored | 397 | 777 |
| Games Started not scored | 314 | 690 |
| Complete Games | 137 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves not scored | 9 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,396 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,324.1 | 5,350.1 |
| 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 longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Gaylord Perry played 22 seasons to Sandy Koufax's 12, while Sandy Koufax carries the higher per-season figure (5,252 to 3,560). 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
Gaylord Perry leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Sandy Koufax leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. 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
How the Sandy Koufax and Gaylord Perry careers compare
The careers of Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) and Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) overlapped from 1962 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 Gaylord Perry's 777. The green cells for Sandy Koufax are ERA (2.76 to 3.11), WHIP (1.11 to 1.18), and strikeouts per nine (9.28 to 5.94). By rate, Sandy Koufax struck out 9.28 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32.
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 5 of the 8 scored 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.