Dave McNally vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dave McNally played 1962–1975 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
Dave McNally (1962–1975) and Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Dave McNally finished with 184 wins and 1,512 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 Dave McNally's 3.24.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Dave McNally's 184.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Dave McNally's 1,512.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Dave McNally's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Dave McNally's 2,730.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Dave McNally's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Dave McNally's 1,727.
Dave McNally
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 | Dave McNally | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 184 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 119 | 265 |
| Games | 424 | Leads: 777 |
| Games Started | 396 | Leads: 690 |
| Complete Games | 120 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 33 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 11 |
| Strikeouts | 1,512 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 826 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,488 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 230 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,730.0 | Leads: 5,350.1 |
| ERA | 3.24 | Leads: 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.21 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 4.98 | Leads: 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 2.72 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Dave McNally 78,312 to 1,727 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,132 PIV per season to 123, across 25 seasons to 14. 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).
Dave McNally — 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 Dave McNally owns no headline categories. 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 Dave McNally and Gaylord Perry careers compare
Dave McNally and Gaylord Perry were active at the same time between 1962 and 1975. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Dave McNally appeared in 424 games to Gaylord Perry's 777. Gaylord Perry leads every scored row of the table. By rate, Dave McNally struck out 4.98 and walked 2.72 per nine innings; Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32. Dave McNally was mainly a starter (396 starts in 424 games), and Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games). In WHIP, Gaylord Perry's 1.18 beats Dave McNally's 1.21.
Dave McNally vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave McNally or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Dave McNally in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Dave McNally's 3.24.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Dave McNally's 184.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Dave McNally's 1,512.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Dave McNally's 1.21.