Red Ruffing vs Cy Young: Career Stats Comparison
Cy Young 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). Red Ruffing played 1924–1947 as a pitcher; Cy Young played 1890–1911 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
Red Ruffing (1924–1947) and Cy Young (1890–1911) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Red Ruffing finished with 273 wins and 1,987 strikeouts; Cy Young finished with 511 wins and 2,803 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Cy Young, with 2.63 to Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games? Cy Young, with 511 to Red Ruffing's 273.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cy Young, with 2,803 to Red Ruffing's 1,987.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cy Young, with 1.13 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Cy Young, with 7,356.0 to Red Ruffing's 4,344.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cy Young, with 76 to Red Ruffing's 45.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cy Young, with 141,398 career Pitcher PIV to Red Ruffing's 17,432.
Red Ruffing
Cy Young
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 1920s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Red Ruffing | Cy Young |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 273 | Leads: 511 |
| Losses not scored | 225 | 315 |
| Games | 624 | Leads: 906 |
| Games Started | 536 | Leads: 815 |
| Complete Games | 335 | Leads: 749 |
| Shutouts | 45 | Leads: 76 |
| Saves | 16 | Leads: 18 |
| Strikeouts | 1,987 | Leads: 2,803 |
| Walks not scored | 1,541 | 1,217 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,284 | 7,092 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 254 | 138 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,344.0 | Leads: 7,356.0 |
| ERA | 3.80 | Leads: 2.63 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 4.12 | 3.43 |
| BB/9 | 3.19 | Leads: 1.49 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cy Young outpaces Red Ruffing 141,398 to 17,432 — driven by per-season impact — 6,148 PIV per season to 758 — rather than by longevity, since Cy Young played 23 seasons to Red Ruffing's 23. 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).
Red Ruffing — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cy Young — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cy Young leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Red Ruffing owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cy Young. PIV agrees: Cy Young grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Red Ruffing and Cy Young careers compare
No season is shared: Cy Young played 1890–1911, Red Ruffing 1924–1947. With 624 games against 906 across 23 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Red Ruffing's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (4.12 to 3.43). The per-nine rows read 4.12 strikeouts and 3.19 walks for Red Ruffing, 3.43 and 1.49 for Cy Young. Red Ruffing was mainly a starter (536 starts in 624 games), and Cy Young was mainly a starter (815 starts in 906 games). Cy Young allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.13 WHIP to Red Ruffing's 1.34.
Red Ruffing vs Cy Young: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Red Ruffing or Cy Young?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cy Young leads Red Ruffing in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cy Young, with 2.63 to Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games?
- Cy Young, with 511 to Red Ruffing's 273.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cy Young, with 2,803 to Red Ruffing's 1,987.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cy Young, with 1.13 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.