Jim Palmer vs Luis Tiant: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Luis Tiant played 1964–1982 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 Luis Tiant (1964–1982) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts; Luis Tiant finished with 229 wins and 2,416 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 Luis Tiant's 3.30.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Luis Tiant's 229.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Luis Tiant, with 2,416 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Luis Tiant's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Luis Tiant's 3,486.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Luis Tiant's 49.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Jim Palmer, with 19,502 career Pitcher PIV to Luis Tiant's 11,616.
Jim Palmer
Luis Tiant
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 | Luis Tiant |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 268 | 229 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 172 |
| Games | 558 | Leads: 573 |
| Games Started | Leads: 521 | 484 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 211 | 187 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 49 |
| Saves | 4 | Leads: 15 |
| Strikeouts | 2,212 | Leads: 2,416 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 1,104 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 3,075 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 346 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,948.0 | 3,486.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.30 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 5.04 | Leads: 6.24 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | Leads: 2.85 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Jim Palmer outpaces Luis Tiant 19,502 to 11,616 — driven by per-season impact — 1,026 PIV per season to 611 — rather than by longevity, since Jim Palmer played 19 seasons to Luis Tiant's 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)
Luis Tiant — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Luis Tiant owns strikeouts and K/9. 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 Luis Tiant careers compare
The careers of Jim Palmer (1965–1984) and Luis Tiant (1964–1982) overlapped from 1965 to 1982, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 558 games against 573 across 19 and 19 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, 6.24 and 2.85 for Luis Tiant. Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games), and Luis Tiant was mainly a starter (484 starts in 573 games). Jim Palmer allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Luis Tiant's 1.20.
Jim Palmer vs Luis Tiant: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Palmer or Luis Tiant?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Luis Tiant in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Luis Tiant's 3.30.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Luis Tiant's 229.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Luis Tiant, with 2,416 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Luis Tiant's 1.20.