Jon Matlack vs Fernando Valenzuela: Career Stats Comparison
Fernando Valenzuela 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). Jon Matlack played 1971–1983 as a pitcher; Fernando Valenzuela played 1980–1997 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 Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jon Matlack finished with 125 wins and 1,516 strikeouts; Fernando Valenzuela finished with 173 wins and 2,074 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jon Matlack, with 3.18 to Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Fernando Valenzuela, with 173 to Jon Matlack's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,074 to Jon Matlack's 1,516.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jon Matlack, with 1.23 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,930.0 to Jon Matlack's 2,363.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Fernando Valenzuela, with 31 to Jon Matlack's 30.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jon Matlack, with 38,811 career Pitcher PIV to Fernando Valenzuela's 30,102.
Jon Matlack
Fernando Valenzuela
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 1970s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jon Matlack | Fernando Valenzuela |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 125 | Leads: 173 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 153 |
| Games | 361 | Leads: 453 |
| Games Started | 318 | Leads: 424 |
| Complete Games | 97 | Leads: 113 |
| Shutouts | 30 | Leads: 31 |
| Saves | Leads: 3 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 1,516 | Leads: 2,074 |
| Walks not scored | 638 | 1,151 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,276 | 2,718 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 161 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,363.0 | Leads: 2,930.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.18 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 5.77 | Leads: 6.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.43 | 3.54 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jon Matlack leads Fernando Valenzuela 38,811 to 30,102 — driven by per-season impact — 2,985 PIV per season to 1,672 — rather than by longevity, since Jon Matlack played 13 seasons to Fernando Valenzuela's 18. 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).
Jon Matlack — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Fernando Valenzuela — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fernando Valenzuela leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Jon Matlack owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fernando Valenzuela. Note that PIV actually grades Jon Matlack ahead, which means Fernando Valenzuela's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jon Matlack and Fernando Valenzuela careers compare
From 1980 through 1983, Jon Matlack and Fernando Valenzuela were in the majors together. With 361 games against 453 across 13 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Jon Matlack comes out ahead, it is in saves (3 to 2), ERA (3.18 to 3.54), and WHIP (1.23 to 1.32). The per-nine rows read 5.77 strikeouts and 2.43 walks for Jon Matlack, 6.37 and 3.54 for Fernando Valenzuela. Jon Matlack was mainly a starter (318 starts in 361 games), and Fernando Valenzuela was mainly a starter (424 starts in 453 games). In WHIP, Jon Matlack's 1.23 beats Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
Jon Matlack vs Fernando Valenzuela: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jon Matlack or Fernando Valenzuela?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fernando Valenzuela leads Jon Matlack in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jon Matlack, with 3.18 to Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Fernando Valenzuela, with 173 to Jon Matlack's 125.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,074 to Jon Matlack's 1,516.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jon Matlack, with 1.23 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.