Hal Newhouser vs Early Wynn: Career Stats Comparison
Early Wynn 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; Early Wynn played 1939–1963 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 Early Wynn (1939–1963) — both came up during the 1930s, so the matchup is a direct one. Hal Newhouser finished with 207 wins and 1,796 strikeouts; Early Wynn finished with 300 wins and 2,334 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 Early Wynn's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Early Wynn, with 300 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Early Wynn, with 2,334 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP? Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Early Wynn's 1.33.
- Who pitched more innings? Early Wynn, with 4,564.0 to Hal Newhouser's 2,993.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Early Wynn, with 49 to Hal Newhouser's 33.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Hal Newhouser, with 43,492 career Pitcher PIV to Early Wynn's 25,348.
Hal Newhouser
Early Wynn
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 | Hal Newhouser | Early Wynn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 207 | Leads: 300 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 244 |
| Games | 488 | Leads: 691 |
| Games Started | 374 | Leads: 612 |
| Complete Games | 212 | Leads: 290 |
| Shutouts | 33 | Leads: 49 |
| Saves | Leads: 26 | 15 |
| Strikeouts | 1,796 | Leads: 2,334 |
| Walks not scored | 1,249 | 1,775 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,674 | 4,291 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 137 | 338 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,993.0 | Leads: 4,564.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.31 | 1.33 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.40 | 4.60 |
| BB/9 | 3.76 | Leads: 3.50 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Hal Newhouser outpaces Early Wynn 43,492 to 25,348 — driven by per-season impact — 2,558 PIV per season to 1,102 — rather than by longevity, since Hal Newhouser played 17 seasons to Early Wynn'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)
Early Wynn — 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 Early Wynn 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 Early Wynn careers compare
From 1939 through 1955, Hal Newhouser and Early Wynn were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 488 games for Hal Newhouser and 691 for Early Wynn 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 15), ERA (3.06 to 3.54), and WHIP (1.31 to 1.33). The per-nine rows read 5.40 strikeouts and 3.76 walks for Hal Newhouser, 4.60 and 3.50 for Early Wynn. Hal Newhouser was mainly a starter (374 starts in 488 games), and Early Wynn was mainly a starter (612 starts in 691 games). In WHIP, Hal Newhouser's 1.31 beats Early Wynn's 1.33.
Hal Newhouser vs Early Wynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Hal Newhouser or Early Wynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Early Wynn leads Hal Newhouser in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Hal Newhouser, with 3.06 to Early Wynn's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Early Wynn, with 300 to Hal Newhouser's 207.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Early Wynn, with 2,334 to Hal Newhouser's 1,796.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Hal Newhouser, with 1.31 to Early Wynn's 1.33.