Mickey Lolich vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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 Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mickey Lolich finished with 217 wins and 2,832 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Mickey Lolich's 3.44.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Mickey Lolich's 217.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Mickey Lolich's 2,832.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Mickey Lolich's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Mickey Lolich's 3,638.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Mickey Lolich's 41.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Mickey Lolich's 32,209.
Mickey Lolich
Gaylord Perry
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 | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 217 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 191 | 265 |
| Games | 586 | Leads: 777 |
| Games Started | 496 | Leads: 690 |
| Complete Games | 195 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 41 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | 11 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,832 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 1,099 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,366 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,638.1 | Leads: 5,350.1 |
| ERA | 3.44 | Leads: 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.01 | 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 2.72 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Mickey Lolich 78,312 to 32,209 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,132 PIV per season to 2,013, across 25 seasons to 16. 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)
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gaylord Perry leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Mickey Lolich owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mickey Lolich and Gaylord Perry careers compare
The careers of Mickey Lolich (1963–1979) and Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) overlapped from 1963 to 1979, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 586 games against 777 across 16 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Mickey Lolich comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (7.01 to 5.94). The per-nine rows read 7.01 strikeouts and 2.72 walks for Mickey Lolich, 5.94 and 2.32 for Gaylord Perry. Mickey Lolich was mainly a starter (496 starts in 586 games), and Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games). In WHIP, Gaylord Perry's 1.18 beats Mickey Lolich's 1.23.
Mickey Lolich vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mickey Lolich or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Mickey Lolich in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Mickey Lolich's 3.44.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Mickey Lolich's 217.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Mickey Lolich's 2,832.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Mickey Lolich's 1.23.