Sparky Lyle vs Wilbur Wood: Career Stats Comparison
Wilbur Wood has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Sparky Lyle played 1967–1982 as a pitcher; Wilbur Wood played 1961–1978 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
Sparky Lyle (1967–1982) and Wilbur Wood (1961–1978) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Sparky Lyle finished with 99 wins and 873 strikeouts; Wilbur Wood finished with 164 wins and 1,411 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Sparky Lyle, with 2.88 to Wilbur Wood's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Wilbur Wood, with 164 to Sparky Lyle's 99.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Wilbur Wood, with 1,411 to Sparky Lyle's 873.
- Who had the better WHIP? Wilbur Wood, with 1.23 to Sparky Lyle's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Wilbur Wood, with 2,684.0 to Sparky Lyle's 1,390.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Wilbur Wood, with 24 to Sparky Lyle's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Sparky Lyle, with 16,426 career Pitcher PIV to Wilbur Wood's 13,866.
Sparky Lyle
Wilbur Wood
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 | Sparky Lyle | Wilbur Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 99 | Leads: 164 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 156 |
| Games | Leads: 899 | 651 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 297 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 114 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 24 |
| Saves | Leads: 238 | 57 |
| Strikeouts | 873 | Leads: 1,411 |
| Walks not scored | 481 | 724 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,292 | 2,582 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 84 | 209 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,390.1 | Leads: 2,684.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.88 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.23 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.65 | 4.73 |
| BB/9 | 3.11 | Leads: 2.43 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Sparky Lyle leads Wilbur Wood 16,426 to 13,866 — driven by per-season impact — 913 PIV per season to 770 — rather than by longevity, since Sparky Lyle played 18 seasons to Wilbur Wood's 18. 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).
Sparky Lyle — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Wilbur Wood — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Wilbur Wood leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Sparky Lyle owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Wilbur Wood. Note that PIV actually grades Sparky Lyle ahead, which means Wilbur Wood's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Sparky Lyle and Wilbur Wood careers compare
From 1967 through 1978, Sparky Lyle and Wilbur Wood were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 899 games for Sparky Lyle and 651 for Wilbur Wood across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Sparky Lyle are games (899 to 651), saves (238 to 57), and ERA (2.88 to 3.24). By rate, Sparky Lyle struck out 5.65 and walked 3.11 per nine innings; Wilbur Wood struck out 4.73 and walked 2.43. Their roles differ: Sparky Lyle worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 899 games, 238 saves); Wilbur Wood split time between starting and relief (297 starts in 651 games).
Sparky Lyle vs Wilbur Wood: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sparky Lyle or Wilbur Wood?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Wilbur Wood leads Sparky Lyle in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Sparky Lyle, with 2.88 to Wilbur Wood's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Wilbur Wood, with 164 to Sparky Lyle's 99.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Wilbur Wood, with 1,411 to Sparky Lyle's 873.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Wilbur Wood, with 1.23 to Sparky Lyle's 1.28.