Gaylord Perry vs Fernando Valenzuela: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry 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). Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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
Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) and Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 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? Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Fernando Valenzuela's 173.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,930.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Fernando Valenzuela's 31.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Gaylord Perry, with 78,312 career Pitcher PIV to Fernando Valenzuela's 30,102.
Gaylord Perry
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 | Gaylord Perry | Fernando Valenzuela |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 314 | 173 |
| Losses not scored | 265 | 153 |
| Games | Leads: 777 | 453 |
| Games Started | Leads: 690 | 424 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 303 | 113 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 31 |
| Saves | Leads: 11 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,534 | 2,074 |
| Walks not scored | 1,379 | 1,151 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,938 | 2,718 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 399 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,350.1 | 2,930.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.11 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 5.94 | Leads: 6.37 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.32 | 3.54 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Gaylord Perry outpaces Fernando Valenzuela 78,312 to 30,102 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,132 PIV per season to 1,672, across 25 seasons to 18. 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)
Fernando Valenzuela — 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 Fernando Valenzuela 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 Fernando Valenzuela careers compare
Gaylord Perry and Fernando Valenzuela were active at the same time between 1980 and 1983. The table compares 777 games of Gaylord Perry with 453 of Fernando Valenzuela across 25 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Fernando Valenzuela comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (6.37 to 5.94). By rate, Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32 per nine innings; Fernando Valenzuela struck out 6.37 and walked 3.54. Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games), and Fernando Valenzuela was mainly a starter (424 starts in 453 games). In WHIP, Gaylord Perry's 1.18 beats Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.
Gaylord Perry vs Fernando Valenzuela: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gaylord Perry or Fernando Valenzuela?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Fernando Valenzuela in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3.11 to Fernando Valenzuela's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Fernando Valenzuela's 173.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Fernando Valenzuela's 2,074.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Fernando Valenzuela's 1.32.