Jon Matlack vs J. R. Richard: Career Stats Comparison
Jon Matlack has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jon Matlack played 1971–1983 as a pitcher; J. R. Richard played 1971–1980 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
Jon Matlack (1971–1983) and J. R. Richard (1971–1980) — both debuted in the 1970s. Jon Matlack finished with 125 wins and 1,516 strikeouts; J. R. Richard finished with 107 wins and 1,493 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jon Matlack, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? J. R. Richard, with 3.15 to Jon Matlack's 3.18.
- Who won more games? Jon Matlack, with 125 to J. R. Richard's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jon Matlack, with 1,516 to J. R. Richard's 1,493.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jon Matlack, with 1.23 to J. R. Richard's 1.24.
- How many innings did each pitch? Jon Matlack 2,363.0, J. R. Richard 1,606.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jon Matlack, with 30 to J. R. Richard's 19.
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. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Jon Matlack | J. R. Richard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 125 | 107 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 71 |
| Games not scored | 361 | 238 |
| Games Started not scored | 318 | 221 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 97 | 76 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 30 | 19 |
| Saves not scored | 3 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,516 | 1,493 |
| Walks not scored | 638 | 770 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,276 | 1,227 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 161 | 73 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,363.0 | 1,606.0 |
| ERA | 3.18 | Leads: 3.15 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 5.77 | Leads: 8.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.43 | 4.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), J. R. Richard edges Jon Matlack 38,918 to 38,811 — driven by per-season impact — 3,892 PIV per season to 2,985 — rather than by longevity, since J. R. Richard played 10 seasons to Jon Matlack's 13. 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
Jon Matlack leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. J. R. Richard leads 2: ERA and strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jon Matlack. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades J. R. Richard higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jon Matlack and J. R. Richard careers compare
From 1971 through 1980, Jon Matlack and J. R. Richard were in the majors together. Jon Matlack has the far longer record, 361 games against 238 across 13 and 10 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where J. R. Richard comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.15 to 3.18) and strikeouts per nine (8.37 to 5.77). By rate, Jon Matlack struck out 5.77 and walked 2.43 per nine innings; J. R. Richard struck out 8.37 and walked 4.32. Jon Matlack was mainly a starter (318 starts in 361 games), and J. R. Richard was mainly a starter (221 starts in 238 games).
Jon Matlack vs J. R. Richard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jon Matlack or J. R. Richard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jon Matlack leads J. R. Richard in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- J. R. Richard, with 3.15 to Jon Matlack's 3.18.
- Who won more games?
- Jon Matlack, with 125 to J. R. Richard's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jon Matlack, with 1,516 to J. R. Richard's 1,493.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jon Matlack, with 1.23 to J. R. Richard's 1.24.