Lindy McDaniel vs Tug McGraw: Career Stats Comparison
Lindy McDaniel (1955–1975) and Tug McGraw (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lindy McDaniel compiled 141 wins and 1,361 strikeouts; Tug McGraw put up 96 wins and 1,109 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Lindy McDaniel
Tug McGraw
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 | Lindy McDaniel | Tug McGraw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 141 | 96 |
| Losses | 119 | 92 |
| Games | 987 | 824 |
| Games Started | 74 | 39 |
| Complete Games | 18 | 5 |
| Shutouts | 2 | 1 |
| Saves | 172 | 180 |
| Strikeouts | 1,361 | 1,109 |
| Walks | 623 | 582 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,099 | 1,318 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 172 | 108 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,139 | 1,514 |
| ERA | 3.45 | 3.14 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 5.73 | 6.59 |
| BB/9 | 2.62 | 3.46 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lindy McDaniel outpaces Tug McGraw 27,834 to 16,151 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,265 vs 850 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).
Lindy McDaniel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tug McGraw — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lindy McDaniel leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Tug McGraw owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lindy McDaniel. PIV agrees: Lindy McDaniel grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.