Hal Newhouser vs Fernando Valenzuela: Career Stats Comparison
Hal Newhouser 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; Fernando Valenzuela played 1980–1997 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 Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts; Fernando Valenzuela finished with 173 wins and 2,074 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 Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Fernando Valenzuela's 173.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,074 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Hal Newhouser, with 2,993.0 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,930.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Hal Newhouser, with 33 to Fernando Valenzuela's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Fernando Valenzuela's 30,102.
Hal Newhouser
Fernando Valenzuela
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Hal Newhouser | Fernando Valenzuela |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 207 | 173 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 153 |
| Games | Leads: 488 | 453 |
| Games Started | 374 | Leads: 424 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 212 | 113 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 33 | 31 |
| Saves | Leads: 26 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 1,796 | Leads: 2,074 |
| Walks not scored | 1,249 | 1,151 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,674 | 2,718 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 137 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,993.0 | 2,930.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.31 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 5.40 | Leads: 6.37 |
| BB/9 | 3.76 | Leads: 3.54 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Fernando Valenzuela 43,492 to 30,102 — driven by per-season impact — 2,558 PIV per season to 1,672 — rather than by longevity, since Hal Newhouser played 17 seasons to Fernando Valenzuela's 18. 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)
Fernando Valenzuela — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Hal Newhouser leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Fernando Valenzuela owns strikeouts and K/9. 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 Fernando Valenzuela careers compare
No season is shared: Hal Newhouser played 1939–1955, Fernando Valenzuela 1980–1997. With 488 games against 453 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Fernando Valenzuela comes out ahead, it is in starts (424 to 374), strikeouts (2,074 to 1,796), and strikeouts per nine (6.37 to 5.40). The per-nine rows read 5.40 strikeouts and 3.76 walks for Hal Newhouser, 6.37 and 3.54 for Fernando Valenzuela. Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games), and Fernando Valenzuela was mainly a starter (424 starts in 453 games). In WHIP, Hal Newhouser's 1.31 beats Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
Hal Newhouser vs Fernando Valenzuela: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hal Newhouser or Fernando Valenzuela?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Hal Newhouser leads Fernando Valenzuela in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Hal Newhouser, with 207 to Fernando Valenzuela's 173.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Fernando Valenzuela, with 2,074 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.