Jon Matlack vs J. R. Richard: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Matlack (1971–1983) and J. R. Richard (1971–1980) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jon Matlack compiled 125 wins and 1,516 strikeouts; J. R. Richard put up 107 wins and 1,493 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Jon Matlack
J. R. Richard
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 | J. R. Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 125 | 107 |
| Losses | 126 | 71 |
| Games | 361 | 238 |
| Games Started | 318 | 221 |
| Complete Games | 97 | 76 |
| Shutouts | 30 | 19 |
| Saves | 3 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,516 | 1,493 |
| Walks | 638 | 770 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,276 | 1,227 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 161 | 73 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,363 | 1,606 |
| ERA | 3.18 | 3.15 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 5.77 | 8.37 |
| BB/9 | 2.43 | 4.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), J. R. Richard edges Jon Matlack 38,918 to 38,811 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,892 vs 2,985 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)
J. R. Richard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jon Matlack leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while J. R. Richard owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jon Matlack. Note that PIV actually grades J. R. Richard ahead, which means Jon Matlack's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.