Joe McGinnity vs Cy Young: Career Stats Comparison
Cy Young has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Joe McGinnity played 1899–1908 as a pitcher; Cy Young played 1890–1911 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
Joe McGinnity (1899–1908) and Cy Young (1890–1911) — both came up during the 1890s, so the matchup is a direct one. Joe McGinnity finished with 246 wins and 1,068 strikeouts; Cy Young finished with 511 wins and 2,803 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Cy Young, with 2.63 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games? Cy Young, with 511 to Joe McGinnity's 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cy Young, with 2,803 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cy Young, with 1.13 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Cy Young, with 7,356.0 to Joe McGinnity's 3,441.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cy Young, with 76 to Joe McGinnity's 32.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cy Young, with 141,398 career Pitcher PIV to Joe McGinnity's 3,283.
Joe McGinnity
Cy Young
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 | Joe McGinnity | Cy Young |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 246 | Leads: 511 |
| Losses not scored | 142 | 315 |
| Games | 465 | Leads: 906 |
| Games Started | 381 | Leads: 815 |
| Complete Games | 314 | Leads: 749 |
| Shutouts | 32 | Leads: 76 |
| Saves | Leads: 24 | 18 |
| Strikeouts | 1,068 | Leads: 2,803 |
| Walks not scored | 812 | 1,217 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,276 | 7,092 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 52 | 138 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,441.1 | Leads: 7,356.0 |
| ERA | 2.66 | Leads: 2.63 |
| WHIP | 1.19 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 2.79 | Leads: 3.43 |
| BB/9 | 2.12 | Leads: 1.49 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cy Young outpaces Joe McGinnity 141,398 to 3,283 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 6,148 PIV per season to 298, across 23 seasons to 11. 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).
Joe McGinnity — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cy Young — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cy Young leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Joe McGinnity owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cy Young. PIV agrees: Cy Young grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Joe McGinnity and Cy Young careers compare
From 1899 through 1908, Joe McGinnity and Cy Young were in the majors together. Cy Young has the far longer record, 906 games against 465 across 11 and 23 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Joe McGinnity's edges on the table are saves (24 to 18). By rate, Joe McGinnity struck out 2.79 and walked 2.12 per nine innings; Cy Young struck out 3.43 and walked 1.49. Both had the same role: Joe McGinnity was mainly a starter (381 starts in 465 games); Cy Young was mainly a starter (815 starts in 906 games). Cy Young allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.13 WHIP to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.
Joe McGinnity vs Cy Young: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Joe McGinnity or Cy Young?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cy Young leads Joe McGinnity in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cy Young, with 2.63 to Joe McGinnity's 2.66.
- Who won more games?
- Cy Young, with 511 to Joe McGinnity's 246.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cy Young, with 2,803 to Joe McGinnity's 1,068.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cy Young, with 1.13 to Joe McGinnity's 1.19.