Charles Nagy vs Nolan Ryan: Career Stats Comparison
Nolan Ryan 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). Charles Nagy played 1990–2003 as a pitcher; Nolan Ryan played 1966–1993 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
Charles Nagy (1990–2003) and Nolan Ryan (1966–1993) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Charles Nagy finished with 129 wins and 1,242 strikeouts; Nolan Ryan finished with 324 wins and 5,714 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Nolan Ryan, with 3.19 to Charles Nagy's 4.51.
- Who won more games? Nolan Ryan, with 324 to Charles Nagy's 129.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Charles Nagy's 1,242.
- Who had the better WHIP? Nolan Ryan, with 1.25 to Charles Nagy's 1.42.
- Who pitched more innings? Nolan Ryan, with 5,386.0 to Charles Nagy's 1,954.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Nolan Ryan, with 61 to Charles Nagy's 6.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Nolan Ryan, with 111,223 career Pitcher PIV to Charles Nagy's 7,468.
Charles Nagy
Nolan Ryan
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, and the 1990s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Charles Nagy | Nolan Ryan |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 129 | Leads: 324 |
| Losses not scored | 105 | 292 |
| Games | 318 | Leads: 807 |
| Games Started | 297 | Leads: 773 |
| Complete Games | 31 | Leads: 222 |
| Shutouts | 6 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | 1,242 | Leads: 5,714 |
| Walks not scored | 586 | 2,795 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,188 | 3,923 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 217 | 321 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,954.2 | Leads: 5,386.0 |
| ERA | 4.51 | Leads: 3.19 |
| WHIP | 1.42 | Leads: 1.25 |
| K/9 | 5.72 | Leads: 9.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.70 | 4.67 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nolan Ryan outpaces Charles Nagy 111,223 to 7,468 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,119 PIV per season to 533, across 27 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).
Charles Nagy — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Nolan Ryan — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nolan Ryan leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Charles Nagy owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nolan Ryan. PIV agrees: Nolan Ryan grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Charles Nagy and Nolan Ryan careers compare
The careers of Charles Nagy (1990–2003) and Nolan Ryan (1966–1993) overlapped from 1990 to 1993, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 318 games of Charles Nagy with 807 of Nolan Ryan across 14 and 27 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Charles Nagy are walks per nine (2.70 to 4.67). By rate, Charles Nagy struck out 5.72 and walked 2.70 per nine innings; Nolan Ryan struck out 9.55 and walked 4.67. Both had the same role: Charles Nagy was mainly a starter (297 starts in 318 games); Nolan Ryan was mainly a starter (773 starts in 807 games).
Charles Nagy vs Nolan Ryan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Charles Nagy or Nolan Ryan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nolan Ryan leads Charles Nagy in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Nolan Ryan, with 3.19 to Charles Nagy's 4.51.
- Who won more games?
- Nolan Ryan, with 324 to Charles Nagy's 129.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Charles Nagy's 1,242.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Nolan Ryan, with 1.25 to Charles Nagy's 1.42.