Andy Messersmith vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry 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). Andy Messersmith played 1968–1979 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
Andy Messersmith (1968–1979) and Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Andy Messersmith finished with 130 wins and 1,625 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? Andy Messersmith, with 2.86 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Andy Messersmith's 130.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Andy Messersmith's 1,625.
- Who had the better WHIP? Andy Messersmith, with 1.14 to Gaylord Perry's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Andy Messersmith's 2,230.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Andy Messersmith's 27.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Andy Messersmith's 19,907.
Andy Messersmith
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 | Andy Messersmith | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 130 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 99 | 265 |
| Games | 344 | Leads: 777 |
| Games Started | 295 | Leads: 690 |
| Complete Games | 98 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 27 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 15 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 1,625 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 831 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,719 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 174 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,230.1 | Leads: 5,350.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.11 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.56 | 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 3.35 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Andy Messersmith 78,312 to 19,907 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,132 PIV per season to 1,659, across 25 seasons to 12. 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).
Andy Messersmith — 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, and innings pitched, while Andy Messersmith owns ERA, WHIP, and 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 Andy Messersmith and Gaylord Perry careers compare
The careers of Andy Messersmith (1968–1979) and Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) overlapped from 1968 to 1979, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 344 games of Andy Messersmith with 777 of Gaylord Perry across 12 and 25 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Andy Messersmith comes out ahead, it is in saves (15 to 11), ERA (2.86 to 3.11), and WHIP (1.14 to 1.18). By rate, Andy Messersmith struck out 6.56 and walked 3.35 per nine innings; Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32.
Andy Messersmith vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Andy Messersmith or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Andy Messersmith in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Andy Messersmith, with 2.86 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Andy Messersmith's 130.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Andy Messersmith's 1,625.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Andy Messersmith, with 1.14 to Gaylord Perry's 1.18.