Jim Palmer vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 as a pitcher; Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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
Jim Palmer (1965–1984) and Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts; Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 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 Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Jim Palmer's 3,948.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 53.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Jim Palmer
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. 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 | Jim Palmer | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 268 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 265 |
| Games | 558 | Leads: 777 |
| Games Started | 521 | Leads: 690 |
| Complete Games | 211 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 53 | 53 |
| Saves | 4 | Leads: 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,212 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,948.0 | Leads: 5,350.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.11 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.04 | Leads: 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Jim Palmer 78,312 to 19,502 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,132 PIV per season to 1,026, across 25 seasons to 19. 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).
Jim Palmer — 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 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 Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Palmer and Gaylord Perry careers compare
Jim Palmer and Gaylord Perry were active at the same time between 1965 and 1983. With 558 games against 777 across 19 and 25 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Jim Palmer's edges on the table are ERA (2.86 to 3.11) and WHIP (1.18 to 1.18). By rate, Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99 per nine innings; Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32. Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games), and Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Gaylord Perry's 1.18.
Jim Palmer vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Palmer or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Jim Palmer in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.18.