Gaylord Perry vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry 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). Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 as a pitcher; Warren Spahn played 1942–1965 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 Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts; Warren Spahn finished with 363 wins and 2,583 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Gaylord Perry's 314.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Warren Spahn's 2,583.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Warren Spahn's 5,243.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Gaylord Perry's 53.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Warren Spahn's 63,558.
Gaylord Perry
Warren Spahn
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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Gaylord Perry | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 314 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 265 | 245 |
| Games | Leads: 777 | 750 |
| Games Started | Leads: 690 | 665 |
| Complete Games | 303 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 53 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves | 11 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,534 | 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 1,379 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,938 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 399 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,350.1 | 5,243.2 |
| ERA | 3.11 | Leads: 3.09 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.94 | 4.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.32 | 2.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry leads Warren Spahn 78,312 to 63,558 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,132 PIV per season to 2,889, across 25 seasons to 22. 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)
Warren Spahn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gaylord Perry leads in strikeouts, WHIP, K/9, and innings pitched, while Warren Spahn owns wins and ERA. 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 Warren Spahn careers compare
From 1962 through 1965, Gaylord Perry and Warren Spahn were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 777 games for Gaylord Perry and 750 for Warren Spahn across 25 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32 per nine innings; Warren Spahn struck out 4.43 and walked 2.46. Both had the same role: Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games); Warren Spahn was mainly a starter (665 starts in 750 games). Gaylord Perry allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Warren Spahn's 1.19.
Gaylord Perry vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gaylord Perry or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Warren Spahn in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Gaylord Perry's 314.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Warren Spahn's 2,583.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.