Sandy Koufax vs Bob Veale: Career Stats Comparison
Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) and Bob Veale (1962–1974) — 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; Bob Veale put up 120 wins and 1,703 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Sandy Koufax
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Sandy Koufax | Bob Veale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 165 | 120 |
| Losses | 87 | 95 |
| Games | 397 | 397 |
| Games Started | 314 | 255 |
| Complete Games | 137 | 78 |
| Shutouts | 40 | 20 |
| Saves | 9 | 21 |
| Strikeouts | 2,396 | 1,703 |
| Walks | 817 | 858 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,754 | 1,684 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 204 | 91 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,324 | 1,926 |
| ERA | 2.76 | 3.07 |
| WHIP | 1.11 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 9.28 | 7.96 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | 4.01 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sandy Koufax outpaces Bob Veale 63,020 to 36,615 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,252 vs 2,615 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)
Bob Veale — 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 Bob Veale owns no headline categories. 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.