Gaylord Perry vs Luis Tiant: 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; 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
Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) and Luis Tiant (1964–1982) — both came up during the 1960s, so the matchup is a direct one. Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 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? Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Luis Tiant's 3.30.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Luis Tiant's 229.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Luis Tiant's 2,416.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Luis Tiant's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Luis Tiant's 3,486.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Luis Tiant's 49.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Luis Tiant's 11,616.
Gaylord Perry
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 | Gaylord Perry | Luis Tiant |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 314 | 229 |
| Losses not scored | 265 | 172 |
| Games | Leads: 777 | 573 |
| Games Started | Leads: 690 | 484 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 303 | 187 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 49 |
| Saves | 11 | Leads: 15 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,534 | 2,416 |
| Walks not scored | 1,379 | 1,104 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,938 | 3,075 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 399 | 346 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,350.1 | 3,486.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.11 | 3.30 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 5.94 | Leads: 6.24 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.32 | 2.85 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Luis Tiant 78,312 to 11,616 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,132 PIV per season to 611, across 25 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).
Gaylord Perry — 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, Gaylord Perry leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Luis Tiant owns 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 Luis Tiant careers compare
Gaylord Perry and Luis Tiant were active at the same time between 1964 and 1982. With 777 games against 573 across 25 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Luis Tiant comes out ahead, it is in saves (15 to 11) and strikeouts per nine (6.24 to 5.94). By rate, Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32 per nine innings; Luis Tiant struck out 6.24 and walked 2.85. Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games), and Luis Tiant was mainly a starter (484 starts in 573 games). Gaylord Perry allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Luis Tiant's 1.20.
Gaylord Perry vs Luis Tiant: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gaylord Perry or Luis Tiant?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Luis Tiant in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Luis Tiant's 3.30.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Luis Tiant's 229.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Luis Tiant's 2,416.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Luis Tiant's 1.20.