Sam McDowell vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Sam McDowell played 1961–1975 as a pitcher; Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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
Sam McDowell (1961–1975) and Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Sam McDowell finished with 141 wins and 2,453 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Sam McDowell's 3.17.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Sam McDowell's 141.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Sam McDowell's 2,453.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Sam McDowell's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Sam McDowell's 2,492.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Sam McDowell's 23.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Sam McDowell's 29,989.
Sam McDowell
Gaylord Perry
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Sam McDowell | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 141 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 134 | 265 |
| Games | 425 | Leads: 777 |
| Games Started | 346 | Leads: 690 |
| Complete Games | 103 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 23 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 14 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,453 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 1,312 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,948 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,492.1 | Leads: 5,350.1 |
| ERA | 3.17 | Leads: 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.86 | 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 4.74 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Sam McDowell 78,312 to 29,989 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,132 PIV per season to 1,874, across 25 seasons to 16. 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).
Sam McDowell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gaylord Perry leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Sam McDowell owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Sam McDowell and Gaylord Perry careers compare
The careers of Sam McDowell (1961–1975) and Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) overlapped from 1962 to 1975, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Gaylord Perry has the far longer record, 777 games against 425 across 16 and 25 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Sam McDowell's edges on the table are saves (14 to 11) and strikeouts per nine (8.86 to 5.94). By rate, Sam McDowell struck out 8.86 and walked 4.74 per nine innings; Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32. Sam McDowell was mainly a starter (346 starts in 425 games), and Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games).
Sam McDowell vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Sam McDowell or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Sam McDowell in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Sam McDowell's 3.17.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Sam McDowell's 141.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Sam McDowell's 2,453.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Sam McDowell's 1.31.