Jim Palmer vs Early Wynn: Career Stats Comparison
Early Wynn 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; Early Wynn played 1939–1963 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 Early Wynn (1939–1963) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts; Early Wynn finished with 300 wins and 2,334 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 Early Wynn's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Early Wynn, with 300 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Early Wynn, with 2,334 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Early Wynn's 1.33.
- Who pitched more innings? Early Wynn, with 4,564.0 to Jim Palmer's 3,948.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Early Wynn's 49.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Early Wynn, with 25,348 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Jim Palmer
Early Wynn
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 1930s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Palmer | Early Wynn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 268 | Leads: 300 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 244 |
| Games | 558 | Leads: 691 |
| Games Started | 521 | Leads: 612 |
| Complete Games | 211 | Leads: 290 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 49 |
| Saves | 4 | Leads: 15 |
| Strikeouts | 2,212 | Leads: 2,334 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 1,775 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 4,291 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 338 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,948.0 | Leads: 4,564.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.33 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.04 | 4.60 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.99 | 3.50 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Early Wynn leads Jim Palmer 25,348 to 19,502 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,102 PIV per season to 1,026, across 23 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)
Early Wynn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Early Wynn leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Jim Palmer owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Early Wynn. PIV agrees: Early Wynn 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 Early Wynn careers compare
No season is shared: Early Wynn played 1939–1963, Jim Palmer 1965–1984. With 558 games against 691 across 19 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99 per nine innings; Early Wynn struck out 4.60 and walked 3.50. Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games), and Early Wynn was mainly a starter (612 starts in 691 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Early Wynn's 1.33. On the peak-season lists, Jim Palmer's best year is 1972 at 2.07 ERA and Early Wynn's is 1956 at 2.72 ERA; Jim Palmer has the stronger single season.
Jim Palmer vs Early Wynn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Palmer or Early Wynn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Early Wynn leads Jim Palmer in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Early Wynn's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Early Wynn, with 300 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Early Wynn, with 2,334 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Early Wynn's 1.33.