Robin Roberts vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Warren Spahn has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Robin Roberts played 1948–1966 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
Robin Roberts (1948–1966) and Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — both debuted in the 1940s. Robin Roberts finished with 286 wins and 2,357 strikeouts; Warren Spahn finished with 363 wins and 2,583 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Warren Spahn, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Robin Roberts's 3.41.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Robin Roberts's 286.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Robin Roberts's 2,357.
- Who had the better WHIP? Robin Roberts, with 1.17 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.
- How many innings did each pitch? Robin Roberts 4,688.2, Warren Spahn 5,243.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Robin Roberts's 45.
Robin Roberts
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Robin Roberts | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 286 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 245 | 245 |
| Games not scored | 676 | 750 |
| Games Started not scored | 609 | 665 |
| Complete Games | 305 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 45 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves not scored | 25 | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 2,357 | Leads: 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 902 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,582 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 505 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,688.2 | 5,243.2 |
| ERA | 3.41 | Leads: 3.09 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.52 | 4.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.73 | 2.46 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Warren Spahn leads Robin Roberts 63,558 to 49,794 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,027 PIV per season to 2,621, across 21 seasons to 19. 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).
Robin Roberts — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Warren Spahn — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Warren Spahn leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Robin Roberts leads 3: WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Warren Spahn. PIV agrees: Warren Spahn grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Robin Roberts and Warren Spahn careers compare
The careers of Robin Roberts (1948–1966) and Warren Spahn (1942–1965) overlapped from 1948 to 1965, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 676 games for Robin Roberts and 750 for Warren Spahn across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Robin Roberts comes out ahead, it is in WHIP (1.17 to 1.19), strikeouts per nine (4.52 to 4.43), and walks per nine (1.73 to 2.46). By rate, Robin Roberts struck out 4.52 and walked 1.73 per nine innings; Warren Spahn struck out 4.43 and walked 2.46.
Robin Roberts vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Robin Roberts or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Warren Spahn leads Robin Roberts in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Robin Roberts's 3.41.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Robin Roberts's 286.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Robin Roberts's 2,357.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Robin Roberts, with 1.17 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.