Sandy Koufax vs Mel Stottlemyre: Career Stats Comparison
Sandy Koufax has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Mel Stottlemyre played 1964–1974 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 Mel Stottlemyre (1964–1974) — 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; Mel Stottlemyre finished with 164 wins and 1,257 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 Mel Stottlemyre's 2.97.
- Who won more games? Sandy Koufax, with 165 to Mel Stottlemyre's 164.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Mel Stottlemyre's 1,257.
- Who had the better WHIP? Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Mel Stottlemyre's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Mel Stottlemyre, with 2,661.1 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 40.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sandy Koufax, with 63,020 career Pitcher PIV to Mel Stottlemyre's 8,727.
Sandy Koufax
Mel Stottlemyre
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 | Mel Stottlemyre |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 165 | 164 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 139 |
| Games | Leads: 397 | 360 |
| Games Started | 314 | Leads: 356 |
| Complete Games | 137 | Leads: 152 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 40 |
| Saves | Leads: 9 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,396 | 1,257 |
| Walks not scored | 817 | 809 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,754 | 2,435 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 204 | 171 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,324.1 | Leads: 2,661.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.76 | 2.97 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.11 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.28 | 4.25 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.74 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Mel Stottlemyre 63,020 to 8,727 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,252 PIV per season to 793, across 12 seasons to 11. 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)
Mel Stottlemyre — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sandy Koufax leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Mel Stottlemyre owns 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 Mel Stottlemyre careers compare
From 1964 through 1966, Sandy Koufax and Mel Stottlemyre were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 397 games for Sandy Koufax and 360 for Mel Stottlemyre across 12 and 11 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Mel Stottlemyre's edges on the table are starts (356 to 314), complete games (152 to 137), and innings (2,661.1 to 2,324.1). By rate, Sandy Koufax struck out 9.28 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Mel Stottlemyre struck out 4.25 and walked 2.74. Both had the same role: Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games); Mel Stottlemyre was mainly a starter (356 starts in 360 games).
Sandy Koufax vs Mel Stottlemyre: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sandy Koufax or Mel Stottlemyre?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Sandy Koufax leads Mel Stottlemyre in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2.76 to Mel Stottlemyre's 2.97.
- Who won more games?
- Sandy Koufax, with 165 to Mel Stottlemyre's 164.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Sandy Koufax, with 2,396 to Mel Stottlemyre's 1,257.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Sandy Koufax, with 1.11 to Mel Stottlemyre's 1.22.