Phil Niekro vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Phil Niekro 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). Phil Niekro played 1964–1987 as a pitcher; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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
Phil Niekro (1964–1987) and Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Phil Niekro finished with 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games? Phil Niekro, with 318 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Phil Niekro, with 5,404.1 to Jim Palmer's 3,948.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Phil Niekro's 45.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Palmer, with 19,502 career Pitcher PIV to Phil Niekro's 13,102.
Phil Niekro
Jim Palmer
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 | Phil Niekro | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 318 | 268 |
| Losses not scored | 274 | 152 |
| Games | Leads: 864 | 558 |
| Games Started | Leads: 716 | 521 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 245 | 211 |
| Shutouts | 45 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,342 | 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 1,809 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 5,044 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 482 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,404.1 | 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.35 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.57 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | 3.01 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Palmer outpaces Phil Niekro 19,502 to 13,102 — driven by per-season impact — 1,026 PIV per season to 504 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Palmer played 19 seasons to Phil Niekro's 26. 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).
Phil Niekro — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Phil Niekro leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Jim Palmer owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Phil Niekro. Note that PIV actually grades Jim Palmer ahead, which means Phil Niekro's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Phil Niekro and Jim Palmer careers compare
Phil Niekro and Jim Palmer were active at the same time between 1965 and 1984. Phil Niekro has the far longer record, 864 games against 558 across 26 and 19 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Jim Palmer are shutouts (53 to 45), ERA (2.86 to 3.35), and WHIP (1.18 to 1.27). By rate, Phil Niekro struck out 5.57 and walked 3.01 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Phil Niekro was mainly a starter (716 starts in 864 games), and Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Phil Niekro's 1.27.
Phil Niekro vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Phil Niekro or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Phil Niekro leads Jim Palmer in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games?
- Phil Niekro, with 318 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Phil Niekro, with 3,342 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.