Juan Marichal vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Juan Marichal played 1960–1975 as a pitcher; Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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
Juan Marichal (1960–1975) and Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — both debuted in the 1960s. Juan Marichal finished with 243 wins and 2,303 strikeouts; Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Tom Seaver, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Juan Marichal's 2.89.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Juan Marichal's 243.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP? Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Tom Seaver's 1.12.
- How many innings did each pitch? Juan Marichal 3,507.1, Tom Seaver 4,782.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Juan Marichal's 52.
Juan Marichal
Tom Seaver
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Juan Marichal | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 243 | Leads: 311 |
| Losses not scored | 142 | 205 |
| Games not scored | 471 | 656 |
| Games Started not scored | 457 | 647 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 244 | 231 |
| Shutouts | 52 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves not scored | 2 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,303 | Leads: 3,640 |
| Walks not scored | 709 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,153 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 320 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,507.1 | 4,782.2 |
| ERA | 2.89 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.10 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | 5.91 | Leads: 6.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.82 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Juan Marichal 79,192 to 48,870 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,960 PIV per season to 3,054, across 20 seasons to 16. 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).
Juan Marichal — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Tom Seaver leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Juan Marichal leads 3: complete games, WHIP, and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Juan Marichal and Tom Seaver careers compare
The careers of Juan Marichal (1960–1975) and Tom Seaver (1967–1986) overlapped from 1967 to 1975, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 471 games against 656 across 16 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Juan Marichal comes out ahead, it is in complete games (244 to 231), WHIP (1.10 to 1.12), and walks per nine (1.82 to 2.62). By rate, Juan Marichal struck out 5.91 and walked 1.82 per nine innings; Tom Seaver struck out 6.85 and walked 2.62.
Juan Marichal vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Juan Marichal or Tom Seaver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Juan Marichal in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Juan Marichal's 2.89.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Juan Marichal's 243.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Juan Marichal's 2,303.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Juan Marichal, with 1.10 to Tom Seaver's 1.12.