Mickey Lolich vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer 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). Mickey Lolich played 1963–1979 as a pitcher; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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
Mickey Lolich (1963–1979) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mickey Lolich finished with 217 wins and 2,832 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Mickey Lolich's 3.44.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Mickey Lolich's 217.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Mickey Lolich, with 2,832 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Mickey Lolich's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Mickey Lolich's 3,638.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Mickey Lolich's 41.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mickey Lolich, with 32,209 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Mickey Lolich
Jim Palmer
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mickey Lolich | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 217 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 191 | 152 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 558 |
| Games Started | 496 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 195 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 41 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 11 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,832 | 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 1,099 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,366 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,638.1 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.44 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.01 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.72 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mickey Lolich outpaces Jim Palmer 32,209 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 2,013 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Mickey Lolich played 16 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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).
Mickey Lolich — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Mickey Lolich owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades Mickey Lolich ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mickey Lolich and Jim Palmer careers compare
From 1965 through 1979, Mickey Lolich and Jim Palmer were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 586 games for Mickey Lolich and 558 for Jim Palmer across 16 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Mickey Lolich struck out 7.01 and walked 2.72 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Mickey Lolich was mainly a starter (496 starts in 586 games), and Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Mickey Lolich's 1.23.
Mickey Lolich vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mickey Lolich or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Mickey Lolich in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Mickey Lolich's 3.44.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Mickey Lolich's 217.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Mickey Lolich, with 2,832 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Mickey Lolich's 1.23.