Preacher Roe vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Warren Spahn 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). Preacher Roe played 1938–1954 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
Preacher Roe (1938–1954) and Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Preacher Roe finished with 127 wins and 956 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 Preacher Roe's 3.43.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Preacher Roe's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Preacher Roe's 956.
- Who had the better WHIP? Warren Spahn, with 1.19 to Preacher Roe's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Warren Spahn, with 5,243.2 to Preacher Roe's 1,914.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Preacher Roe's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Warren Spahn, with 63,558 career Pitcher PIV to Preacher Roe's 10,243.
Preacher Roe
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 1930s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Preacher Roe | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 127 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 84 | 245 |
| Games | 333 | Leads: 750 |
| Games Started | 261 | Leads: 665 |
| Complete Games | 101 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 17 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves | 10 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | 956 | Leads: 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 504 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,907 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 199 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,914.1 | Leads: 5,243.2 |
| ERA | 3.43 | Leads: 3.09 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.49 | 4.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.37 | 2.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Warren Spahn outpaces Preacher Roe 63,558 to 10,243 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,889 PIV per season to 854, across 22 seasons to 12. 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).
Preacher Roe — 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, Warren Spahn leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Preacher Roe owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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 Preacher Roe and Warren Spahn careers compare
The careers of Preacher Roe (1938–1954) and Warren Spahn (1942–1965) overlapped from 1942 to 1954, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Warren Spahn has the far longer record, 750 games against 333 across 12 and 22 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Preacher Roe comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (4.49 to 4.43) and walks per nine (2.37 to 2.46). By rate, Preacher Roe struck out 4.49 and walked 2.37 per nine innings; Warren Spahn struck out 4.43 and walked 2.46.
Preacher Roe vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Preacher Roe or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Warren Spahn leads Preacher Roe in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Warren Spahn, with 3.09 to Preacher Roe's 3.43.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Preacher Roe's 127.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Warren Spahn, with 2,583 to Preacher Roe's 956.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Warren Spahn, with 1.19 to Preacher Roe's 1.26.