Sandy Koufax vs Robin Roberts: Career Stats Comparison
Sandy Koufax and Robin Roberts are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 as a pitcher; Robin Roberts played 1948–1966 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 Robin Roberts (1948–1966) — they debuted in the 1950s and the 1940s respectively and share 12 seasons. Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts; Robin Roberts finished with 286 wins and 2,357 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Robin Roberts's 3.41.
- Who won more games? Robin Roberts, with 286 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Robin Roberts's 2,357.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Robin Roberts's 1.17.
- How many innings did each pitch? Sandy Koufax 2,324.1, Robin Roberts 4,688.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Robin Roberts, with 45 to Sandy Koufax's 40.
Sandy Koufax
Robin Roberts
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 | Robin Roberts |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 165 | Leads: 286 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 245 |
| Games not scored | 397 | 676 |
| Games Started not scored | 314 | 609 |
| Complete Games | 137 | Leads: 305 |
| Shutouts | 40 | Leads: 45 |
| Saves not scored | 9 | 25 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,396 | 2,357 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 902 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 4,582 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 505 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,324.1 | 4,688.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 3.41 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.28 | 4.52 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 1.73 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax leads Robin Roberts 63,020 to 49,794 — driven by per-season impact — 5,252 PIV per season to 2,621 — rather than by longevity, since Sandy Koufax played 12 seasons to Robin Roberts's 19. 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)
Robin Roberts — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Sandy Koufax and Robin Roberts split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Sandy Koufax higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Sandy Koufax and Robin Roberts careers compare
Sandy Koufax and Robin Roberts were active at the same time between 1955 and 1966. The table compares 397 games of Sandy Koufax with 676 of Robin Roberts across 12 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Robin Roberts are wins (286 to 165), complete games (305 to 137), and shutouts (45 to 40). The per-nine rows read 9.28 strikeouts and 3.16 walks for Sandy Koufax, 4.52 and 1.73 for Robin Roberts. Both had the same role: Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games); Robin Roberts was mainly a starter (609 starts in 676 games).
Sandy Koufax vs Robin Roberts: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sandy Koufax or Robin Roberts?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Robin Roberts's 3.41.
- Who won more games?
- Robin Roberts, with 286 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Robin Roberts's 2,357.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Robin Roberts's 1.17.