Mickey Lolich vs Sam McDowell: Career Stats Comparison
Mickey Lolich (1963–1979) and Sam McDowell (1961–1975) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mickey Lolich compiled 217 wins and 2,832 strikeouts; Sam McDowell put up 141 wins and 2,453 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Mickey Lolich
Sam McDowell
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 | Mickey Lolich | Sam McDowell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 217 | 141 |
| Losses | 191 | 134 |
| Games | 586 | 425 |
| Games Started | 496 | 346 |
| Complete Games | 195 | 103 |
| Shutouts | 41 | 23 |
| Saves | 11 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | 2,832 | 2,453 |
| Walks | 1,099 | 1,312 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,366 | 1,948 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 347 | 164 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,638 | 2,492 |
| ERA | 3.44 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 7.01 | 8.86 |
| BB/9 | 2.72 | 4.74 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mickey Lolich edges Sam McDowell 32,209 to 29,989 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,013 vs 1,874 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).
Mickey Lolich — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Sam McDowell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mickey Lolich leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Sam McDowell owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mickey Lolich. PIV agrees: Mickey Lolich grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.