Jim Palmer vs Red Ruffing: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer and Red Ruffing are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 as a pitcher; Red Ruffing played 1924–1947 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 Red Ruffing (1924–1947) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts; Red Ruffing finished with 273 wins and 1,987 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 Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games? Red Ruffing, with 273 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Red Ruffing's 1,987.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Red Ruffing, with 4,344.0 to Jim Palmer's 3,948.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Red Ruffing's 45.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Palmer, with 19,502 career Pitcher PIV to Red Ruffing's 17,432.
Jim Palmer
Red Ruffing
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, and the 1960s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Palmer | Red Ruffing |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 268 | Leads: 273 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 225 |
| Games | 558 | Leads: 624 |
| Games Started | 521 | Leads: 536 |
| Complete Games | 211 | Leads: 335 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 45 |
| Saves | 4 | Leads: 16 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,212 | 1,987 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 1,541 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 4,284 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 254 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,948.0 | Leads: 4,344.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.80 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.04 | 4.12 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.99 | 3.19 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Palmer leads Red Ruffing 19,502 to 17,432 — driven by per-season impact — 1,026 PIV per season to 758 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Palmer played 19 seasons to Red Ruffing'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).
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Red Ruffing — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Red Ruffing owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. PIV agrees: Jim Palmer 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 Red Ruffing careers compare
No season is shared: Red Ruffing played 1924–1947, Jim Palmer 1965–1984. With 558 games against 624 across 19 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 5.04 strikeouts and 2.99 walks for Jim Palmer, 4.12 and 3.19 for Red Ruffing. Both had the same role: Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games); Red Ruffing was mainly a starter (536 starts in 624 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Red Ruffing's 1.34. Best seasons: 1972 for Jim Palmer (2.07 ERA, 21-10, 184 K in 274 IP) and 1939 for Red Ruffing (2.93 ERA, 21-7, 95 K in 233 IP).
Jim Palmer vs Red Ruffing: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games?
- Red Ruffing, with 273 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Red Ruffing's 1,987.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.