Pedro Martinez vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer 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; Jim Palmer 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
Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — 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; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Pedro Martinez's 2.93.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Pedro Martinez's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Jim Palmer's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Pedro Martinez's 2,827.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Pedro Martinez's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pedro Martinez, with 113,314 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Pedro Martinez
Jim Palmer
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 | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 219 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 100 | 152 |
| Games | 476 | Leads: 558 |
| Games Started | 409 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 46 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 17 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | 3 | Leads: 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,154 | 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 760 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,221 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,827.1 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 2.93 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.05 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.04 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.42 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pedro Martinez outpaces Jim Palmer 113,314 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 6,295 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Pedro Martinez played 18 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pedro Martinez leads in strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Jim Palmer owns wins, ERA, 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 Jim Palmer careers compare
No season is shared: Jim Palmer played 1965–1984, Pedro Martinez 1992–2009. The two careers are close in length, 476 games for Pedro Martinez and 558 for Jim Palmer across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Pedro Martinez's edges on the table are strikeouts (3,154 to 2,212), WHIP (1.05 to 1.18), and strikeouts per nine (10.04 to 5.04). By rate, Pedro Martinez struck out 10.04 and walked 2.42 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Pedro Martinez was mainly a starter (409 starts in 476 games), and Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games).
Pedro Martinez vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pedro Martinez or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Pedro Martinez in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Pedro Martinez's 2.93.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Pedro Martinez's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Jim Palmer's 1.18.