Nolan Ryan vs Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Career Stats Comparison
Nolan Ryan has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Nolan Ryan played 1966–1993 as a pitcher; Yoshinobu Yamamoto has played 2024–present 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
Nolan Ryan (1966–1993) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2024–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Nolan Ryan finished with 324 wins and 5,714 strikeouts; Yoshinobu Yamamoto has 33 wins and 488 strikeouts through October 6, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with 2.61 to Nolan Ryan's 3.19.
- Who won more games? Nolan Ryan, with 324 to Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 488.
- Who had the better WHIP? Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with 0.97 to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Nolan Ryan, with 5,386.0 to Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 448.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Nolan Ryan, with 61 to Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Nolan Ryan, with 111,223 career Pitcher PIV to Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 8,844.
Nolan Ryan
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
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 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Nolan Ryan | Yoshinobu Yamamoto |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 324 | 33 |
| Losses not scored | 292 | 19 |
| Games | Leads: 807 | 76 |
| Games Started | Leads: 773 | 76 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 222 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 61 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 3 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 5,714 | 488 |
| Walks not scored | 2,795 | 123 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,923 | 310 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 321 | 41 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,386.0 | 448.2 |
| ERA | 3.19 | Leads: 2.61 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 0.97 |
| K/9 | 9.55 | Leads: 9.79 |
| BB/9 | 4.67 | Leads: 2.47 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Nolan Ryan outpaces Yoshinobu Yamamoto 111,223 to 8,844 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Nolan Ryan played 27 seasons to Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 2, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto carries the higher per-season figure (4,422 to 4,119). 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).
Nolan Ryan — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Nolan Ryan leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Nolan Ryan. PIV agrees: Nolan Ryan grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Nolan Ryan and Yoshinobu Yamamoto careers compare
No season is shared: Nolan Ryan played 1966–1993, Yoshinobu Yamamoto 2024–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Nolan Ryan appeared in 807 games to Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 76. Yoshinobu Yamamoto's edges on the table are ERA (2.61 to 3.19), WHIP (0.97 to 1.25), and strikeouts per nine (9.79 to 9.55). By rate, Nolan Ryan struck out 9.55 and walked 4.67 per nine innings; Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 9.79 and walked 2.47. Nolan Ryan was mainly a starter (773 starts in 807 games), and Yoshinobu Yamamoto was mainly a starter (76 starts in 76 games). The complete-game row, 222 against 1, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Because Yoshinobu Yamamoto is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Nolan Ryan vs Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nolan Ryan or Yoshinobu Yamamoto?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Nolan Ryan leads Yoshinobu Yamamoto in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with 2.61 to Nolan Ryan's 3.19.
- Who won more games?
- Nolan Ryan, with 324 to Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 488.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with 0.97 to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.