Mike Marshall 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). Mike Marshall played 1967–1981 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
Mike Marshall (1967–1981) and Wilbur Wood (1961–1978) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Mike Marshall finished with 97 wins and 880 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? Mike Marshall, with 3.14 to Wilbur Wood's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Wilbur Wood, with 164 to Mike Marshall's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Wilbur Wood, with 1,411 to Mike Marshall's 880.
- Who had the better WHIP? Wilbur Wood, with 1.23 to Mike Marshall's 1.29.
- Who pitched more innings? Wilbur Wood, with 2,684.0 to Mike Marshall's 1,386.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Wilbur Wood, with 24 to Mike Marshall's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mike Marshall, with 15,195 career Pitcher PIV to Wilbur Wood's 13,866.
Mike Marshall
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 | Mike Marshall | Wilbur Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 97 | Leads: 164 |
| Losses not scored | 112 | 156 |
| Games | Leads: 724 | 651 |
| Games Started | 24 | Leads: 297 |
| Complete Games | 3 | Leads: 114 |
| Shutouts | 1 | Leads: 24 |
| Saves | Leads: 188 | 57 |
| Strikeouts | 880 | Leads: 1,411 |
| Walks not scored | 514 | 724 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,281 | 2,582 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 79 | 209 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,386.2 | Leads: 2,684.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.14 | 3.24 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | Leads: 1.23 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.71 | 4.73 |
| BB/9 | 3.34 | Leads: 2.43 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Marshall leads Wilbur Wood 15,195 to 13,866 — driven by per-season impact — 894 PIV per season to 770 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Marshall played 17 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).
Mike Marshall — top 3 seasons 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 Mike Marshall 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 Mike Marshall 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 Mike Marshall and Wilbur Wood careers compare
From 1967 through 1978, Mike Marshall and Wilbur Wood were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 724 games for Mike Marshall and 651 for Wilbur Wood across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Mike Marshall are games (724 to 651), saves (188 to 57), and ERA (3.14 to 3.24). By rate, Mike Marshall struck out 5.71 and walked 3.34 per nine innings; Wilbur Wood struck out 4.73 and walked 2.43. Their roles differ: Mike Marshall worked mostly in relief (24 starts in 724 games, 188 saves); Wilbur Wood split time between starting and relief (297 starts in 651 games).
Mike Marshall vs Wilbur Wood: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mike Marshall or Wilbur Wood?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Wilbur Wood leads Mike Marshall in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mike Marshall, with 3.14 to Wilbur Wood's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Wilbur Wood, with 164 to Mike Marshall's 97.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Wilbur Wood, with 1,411 to Mike Marshall's 880.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Wilbur Wood, with 1.23 to Mike Marshall's 1.29.