Jim Palmer vs Fernando Valenzuela: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Fernando Valenzuela played 1980–1997 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 Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts; Fernando Valenzuela finished with 173 wins and 2,074 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 Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Fernando Valenzuela's 173.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,930.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Fernando Valenzuela's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Fernando Valenzuela, with 30,102 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Jim Palmer
Fernando Valenzuela
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Palmer | Fernando Valenzuela |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 268 | 173 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 153 |
| Games | Leads: 558 | 453 |
| Games Started | Leads: 521 | 424 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 211 | 113 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 31 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,212 | 2,074 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 1,151 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 2,718 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,948.0 | 2,930.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 5.04 | Leads: 6.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.99 | 3.54 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Fernando Valenzuela outpaces Jim Palmer 30,102 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 1,672 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Fernando Valenzuela played 18 seasons to Jim Palmer'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)
Fernando Valenzuela — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jim Palmer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Fernando Valenzuela owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades Fernando Valenzuela ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Palmer and Fernando Valenzuela careers compare
The careers of Jim Palmer (1965–1984) and Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) overlapped from 1980 to 1984, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 558 games against 453 across 19 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Fernando Valenzuela comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (6.37 to 5.04). By rate, Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99 per nine innings; Fernando Valenzuela struck out 6.37 and walked 3.54. Both had the same role: Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games); Fernando Valenzuela was mainly a starter (424 starts in 453 games).
Jim Palmer vs Fernando Valenzuela: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Palmer or Fernando Valenzuela?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Fernando Valenzuela in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Fernando Valenzuela's 173.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.