Jim Palmer vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; 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
Jim Palmer (1965–1984) and Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 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? Neither — both are at 2.86.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Jim Palmer's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Seaver, with 4,782.2 to Jim Palmer's 3,948.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Jim Palmer's 53.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Seaver, with 79,192 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Jim Palmer
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 | Jim Palmer | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 268 | Leads: 311 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 205 |
| Games | 558 | Leads: 656 |
| Games Started | 521 | Leads: 647 |
| Complete Games | 211 | Leads: 231 |
| Shutouts | 53 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,212 | Leads: 3,640 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,948.0 | Leads: 4,782.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 5.04 | Leads: 6.85 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | Leads: 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Jim Palmer 79,192 to 19,502 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,600 PIV per season to 1,026, across 22 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)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Jim Palmer owns ERA. 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 Jim Palmer and Tom Seaver careers compare
From 1967 through 1984, Jim Palmer and Tom Seaver were in the majors together. With 558 games against 656 across 19 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Jim Palmer are saves (4 to 1) and ERA (2.86 to 2.86). The per-nine rows read 5.04 strikeouts and 2.99 walks for Jim Palmer, 6.85 and 2.62 for Tom Seaver. Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games), and Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games). Tom Seaver allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Jim Palmer's 1.18.
Jim Palmer vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Palmer or Tom Seaver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Jim Palmer in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Neither — both are at 2.86.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Jim Palmer's 1.18.