Gaylord Perry vs Blake Snell: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry 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). Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 as a pitcher; Blake Snell has played 2016–present 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
Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) and Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Blake Snell's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Gaylord Perry
Blake Snell
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Gaylord Perry | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 314 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 265 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 777 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 690 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 303 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 11 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,534 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 1,379 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,938 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 399 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,350.1 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | 3.11 | Leads: 3.10 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 5.94 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.32 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Blake Snell 78,312 to 27,494 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,132 PIV per season to 2,749, across 25 seasons to 10. 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).
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gaylord Perry leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Blake Snell owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. PIV agrees: Gaylord Perry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gaylord Perry and Blake Snell careers compare
No season is shared: Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983, Blake Snell 2016–present. The table compares 777 games of Gaylord Perry with 231 of Blake Snell across 25 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Blake Snell are ERA (3.10 to 3.11) and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 5.94). By rate, Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32 per nine innings; Blake Snell struck out 11.21 and walked 4.03. Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games), and Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Complete games (303 to 1) show how differently the two eras used starters. Because Blake Snell is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Gaylord Perry vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gaylord Perry or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Blake Snell in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Blake Snell's 1.22.