Pedro Martinez vs Phil Niekro: Career Stats Comparison
Phil Niekro 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). Pedro Martinez played 1992–2009 as a pitcher; Phil Niekro played 1964–1987 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
Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) and Phil Niekro (1964–1987) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pedro Martinez finished with 219 wins and 3,154 strikeouts; Phil Niekro finished with 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games? Phil Niekro, with 318 to Pedro Martinez's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to Pedro Martinez's 3,154.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Phil Niekro, with 5,404.1 to Pedro Martinez's 2,827.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Phil Niekro, with 45 to Pedro Martinez's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pedro Martinez, with 113,314 career Pitcher PIV to Phil Niekro's 13,102.
Pedro Martinez
Phil Niekro
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, and the 1990s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pedro Martinez | Phil Niekro |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 219 | Leads: 318 |
| Losses not scored | 100 | 274 |
| Games | 476 | Leads: 864 |
| Games Started | 409 | Leads: 716 |
| Complete Games | 46 | Leads: 245 |
| Shutouts | 17 | Leads: 45 |
| Saves | 3 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | 3,154 | Leads: 3,342 |
| Walks not scored | 760 | 1,809 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,221 | 5,044 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 482 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,827.1 | Leads: 5,404.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.93 | 3.35 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.05 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.04 | 5.57 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.42 | 3.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pedro Martinez outpaces Phil Niekro 113,314 to 13,102 — driven by per-season impact — 6,295 PIV per season to 504 — rather than by longevity, since Pedro Martinez played 18 seasons to Phil Niekro's 26. 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).
Pedro Martinez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Phil Niekro — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pedro Martinez leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Phil Niekro owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pedro Martinez. PIV agrees: Pedro Martinez grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pedro Martinez and Phil Niekro careers compare
No season is shared: Phil Niekro played 1964–1987, Pedro Martinez 1992–2009. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Pedro Martinez appeared in 476 games to Phil Niekro's 864. Where Pedro Martinez comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.93 to 3.35), WHIP (1.05 to 1.27), and strikeouts per nine (10.04 to 5.57). By rate, Pedro Martinez struck out 10.04 and walked 2.42 per nine innings; Phil Niekro struck out 5.57 and walked 3.01. Both had the same role: Pedro Martinez was mainly a starter (409 starts in 476 games); Phil Niekro was mainly a starter (716 starts in 864 games).
Pedro Martinez vs Phil Niekro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pedro Martinez or Phil Niekro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Phil Niekro leads Pedro Martinez in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games?
- Phil Niekro, with 318 to Pedro Martinez's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to Pedro Martinez's 3,154.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.