Phil Niekro vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Phil Niekro and Tom Seaver are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Phil Niekro played 1964–1987 as a pitcher; Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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 Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Phil Niekro finished with 318 wins and 3,342 strikeouts; Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games? Phil Niekro, with 318 to Tom Seaver's 311.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Phil Niekro's 3,342.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Phil Niekro, with 5,404.1 to Tom Seaver's 4,782.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Phil Niekro's 45.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Seaver, with 79,192 career Pitcher PIV to Phil Niekro's 13,102.
Phil Niekro
Tom Seaver
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 | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 318 | 311 |
| Losses not scored | 274 | 205 |
| Games | Leads: 864 | 656 |
| Games Started | Leads: 716 | 647 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 245 | 231 |
| Shutouts | 45 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | Leads: 29 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 3,342 | Leads: 3,640 |
| Walks not scored | 1,809 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 5,044 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 482 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,404.1 | 4,782.2 |
| ERA | 3.35 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 5.57 | Leads: 6.85 |
| BB/9 | 3.01 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Phil Niekro 79,192 to 13,102 — driven by per-season impact — 3,600 PIV per season to 504 — rather than by longevity, since Tom Seaver played 22 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)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver 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 Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Phil Niekro and Tom Seaver careers compare
Phil Niekro and Tom Seaver were active at the same time between 1967 and 1986. With 864 games against 656 across 26 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 5.57 strikeouts and 3.01 walks for Phil Niekro, 6.85 and 2.62 for Tom Seaver. Phil Niekro was mainly a starter (716 starts in 864 games), and Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games). Tom Seaver allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Phil Niekro's 1.27. Tom Seaver owns the better peak by ERA: 1.87 ERA in 1967 for Phil Niekro against 1.76 ERA in 1971 for Tom Seaver.
Phil Niekro vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Phil Niekro's 3.35.
- Who won more games?
- Phil Niekro, with 318 to Tom Seaver's 311.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Phil Niekro's 3,342.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Phil Niekro's 1.27.