Hal Newhouser vs Red Ruffing: Career Stats Comparison
Red Ruffing 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). Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955 as a pitcher; Red Ruffing played 1924–1947 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
Hal Newhouser (1939–1955) and Red Ruffing (1924–1947) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts; Red Ruffing finished with 273 wins and 1,987 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games? Red Ruffing, with 273 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Red Ruffing, with 1,987 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Red Ruffing, with 4,344.0 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Red Ruffing, with 45 to Hal Newhouser's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Red Ruffing's 17,432.
Hal Newhouser
Red Ruffing
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 1930s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hal Newhouser | Red Ruffing |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 207 | Leads: 273 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 225 |
| Games | 488 | Leads: 624 |
| Games Started | 374 | Leads: 536 |
| Complete Games | 212 | Leads: 335 |
| Shutouts | 33 | Leads: 45 |
| Saves | Leads: 26 | 16 |
| Strikeouts | 1,796 | Leads: 1,987 |
| Walks not scored | 1,249 | 1,541 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,674 | 4,284 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 137 | 254 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,993.0 | Leads: 4,344.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.80 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.31 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.40 | 4.12 |
| BB/9 | 3.76 | Leads: 3.19 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Red Ruffing 43,492 to 17,432 — driven by per-season impact — 2,558 PIV per season to 758 — rather than by longevity, since Hal Newhouser played 17 seasons to Red Ruffing's 23. 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).
Hal Newhouser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Red Ruffing — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Red Ruffing owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Hal Newhouser. PIV agrees: Hal Newhouser grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Hal Newhouser and Red Ruffing careers compare
Hal Newhouser and Red Ruffing were active at the same time between 1939 and 1947. The two careers are close in length, 488 games for Hal Newhouser and 624 for Red Ruffing across 17 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Hal Newhouser's edges on the table are saves (26 to 16), ERA (3.06 to 3.80), and WHIP (1.31 to 1.34). The per-nine rows read 5.40 strikeouts and 3.76 walks for Hal Newhouser, 4.12 and 3.19 for Red Ruffing. Both had the same role: Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games); Red Ruffing was mainly a starter (536 starts in 624 games).
Hal Newhouser vs Red Ruffing: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hal Newhouser or Red Ruffing?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Red Ruffing leads Hal Newhouser in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games?
- Red Ruffing, with 273 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Red Ruffing, with 1,987 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.