Phil Niekro vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Phil Niekro (1964–1987) and Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Phil Niekro compiled 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry put up 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Phil Niekro
Gaylord Perry
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Phil Niekro | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 318 | 314 |
| Losses | 274 | 265 |
| Games | 864 | 777 |
| Games Started | 716 | 690 |
| Complete Games | 245 | 303 |
| Shutouts | 45 | 53 |
| Saves | 29 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 3,342 | 3,534 |
| Walks | 1,809 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed | 5,044 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 482 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,404 | 5,350 |
| ERA | 3.35 | 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.57 | 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 3.01 | 2.32 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Phil Niekro 78,312 to 13,102 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,132 vs 504 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gaylord Perry leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Phil Niekro owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.