J. R. Richard vs Fernando Valenzuela: Career Stats Comparison
J. R. Richard (1971–1980) and Fernando Valenzuela (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. J. R. Richard compiled 107 wins and 1,493 strikeouts; Fernando Valenzuela put up 173 wins and 2,074 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
J. R. Richard
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | J. R. Richard | Fernando Valenzuela |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | 173 |
| Losses | 71 | 153 |
| Games | 238 | 453 |
| Games Started | 221 | 424 |
| Complete Games | 76 | 113 |
| Shutouts | 19 | 31 |
| Saves | 0 | 2 |
| Strikeouts | 1,493 | 2,074 |
| Walks | 770 | 1,151 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,227 | 2,718 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 73 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,606 | 2,930 |
| ERA | 3.15 | 3.54 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 8.37 | 6.37 |
| BB/9 | 4.32 | 3.54 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), J. R. Richard leads Fernando Valenzuela 38,918 to 30,102 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (3,892 vs 1,672 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
J. R. Richard — 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, J. R. Richard leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Fernando Valenzuela owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to J. R. Richard. PIV agrees: J. R. Richard grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.