Mike Marshall vs Tug McGraw: Career Stats Comparison
Tug McGraw 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). Mike Marshall played 1967–1981 as a pitcher; Tug McGraw 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
Mike Marshall (1967–1981) and Tug McGraw (1965–1984) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mike Marshall finished with 97 wins and 880 strikeouts; Tug McGraw finished with 96 wins and 1,109 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Neither — both are at 3.14.
- Who won more games? Mike Marshall, with 97 to Tug McGraw's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tug McGraw, with 1,109 to Mike Marshall's 880.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tug McGraw, with 1.25 to Mike Marshall's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Tug McGraw, with 1,514.2 to Mike Marshall's 1,386.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tug McGraw, with 16,151 career Pitcher PIV to Mike Marshall's 15,195.
Mike Marshall
Tug McGraw
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 | Mike Marshall | Tug McGraw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 97 | 96 |
| Losses not scored | 112 | 92 |
| Games | 724 | Leads: 824 |
| Games Started | 24 | Leads: 39 |
| Complete Games | 3 | Leads: 5 |
| Shutouts | 1 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 188 | 180 |
| Strikeouts | 880 | Leads: 1,109 |
| Walks not scored | 514 | 582 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,281 | 1,318 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 79 | 108 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,386.2 | Leads: 1,514.2 |
| ERA | 3.14 | Leads: 3.14 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.25 |
| K/9 | 5.71 | Leads: 6.59 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.34 | 3.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tug McGraw edges Mike Marshall 16,151 to 15,195 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tug McGraw played 19 seasons to Mike Marshall's 17, while Mike Marshall carries the higher per-season figure (894 to 850). 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).
Mike Marshall — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tug McGraw
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tug McGraw leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Mike Marshall owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tug McGraw. PIV agrees: Tug McGraw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mike Marshall and Tug McGraw careers compare
The careers of Mike Marshall (1967–1981) and Tug McGraw (1965–1984) overlapped from 1967 to 1981, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 724 games against 824 across 17 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Mike Marshall comes out ahead, it is in wins (97 to 96), saves (188 to 180), and walks per nine (3.34 to 3.46). The per-nine rows read 5.71 strikeouts and 3.34 walks for Mike Marshall, 6.59 and 3.46 for Tug McGraw.
Mike Marshall vs Tug McGraw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mike Marshall or Tug McGraw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tug McGraw leads Mike Marshall in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Neither — both are at 3.14.
- Who won more games?
- Mike Marshall, with 97 to Tug McGraw's 96.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tug McGraw, with 1,109 to Mike Marshall's 880.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tug McGraw, with 1.25 to Mike Marshall's 1.29.