Jon Matlack vs Sam McDowell: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Matlack (1971–1983) and Sam McDowell (1961–1975) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jon Matlack compiled 125 wins and 1,516 strikeouts; Sam McDowell put up 141 wins and 2,453 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Jon Matlack
Sam McDowell
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Jon Matlack | Sam McDowell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 125 | 141 |
| Losses | 126 | 134 |
| Games | 361 | 425 |
| Games Started | 318 | 346 |
| Complete Games | 97 | 103 |
| Shutouts | 30 | 23 |
| Saves | 3 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | 1,516 | 2,453 |
| Walks | 638 | 1,312 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,276 | 1,948 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 161 | 164 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,363 | 2,492 |
| ERA | 3.18 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 5.77 | 8.86 |
| BB/9 | 2.43 | 4.74 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jon Matlack leads Sam McDowell 38,811 to 29,989 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,985 vs 1,874 per year). 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).
Jon Matlack — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Sam McDowell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Sam McDowell leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Jon Matlack owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Sam McDowell. Note that PIV actually grades Jon Matlack ahead, which means Sam McDowell's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.