Nolan Ryan vs Cy Young: Career Stats Comparison
Cy Young 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). Nolan Ryan played 1966–1993 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
Nolan Ryan (1966–1993) and Cy Young (1890–1911) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Nolan Ryan finished with 324 wins and 5,714 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 Nolan Ryan's 3.19.
- Who won more games? Cy Young, with 511 to Nolan Ryan's 324.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Cy Young's 2,803.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cy Young, with 1.13 to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Cy Young, with 7,356.0 to Nolan Ryan's 5,386.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cy Young, with 76 to Nolan Ryan's 61.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cy Young, with 141,398 career Pitcher PIV to Nolan Ryan's 111,223.
Nolan Ryan
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 1960s and the 1890s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Nolan Ryan | Cy Young |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 324 | Leads: 511 |
| Losses not scored | 292 | 315 |
| Games | 807 | Leads: 906 |
| Games Started | 773 | Leads: 815 |
| Complete Games | 222 | Leads: 749 |
| Shutouts | 61 | Leads: 76 |
| Saves | 3 | Leads: 18 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 5,714 | 2,803 |
| Walks not scored | 2,795 | 1,217 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,923 | 7,092 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 321 | 138 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,386.0 | Leads: 7,356.0 |
| ERA | 3.19 | Leads: 2.63 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.55 | 3.43 |
| BB/9 | 4.67 | Leads: 1.49 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cy Young leads Nolan Ryan 141,398 to 111,223 — driven by per-season impact — 6,148 PIV per season to 4,119 — rather than by longevity, since Cy Young played 23 seasons to Nolan Ryan's 27. 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)
Cy Young — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cy Young leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Nolan Ryan owns strikeouts and 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 Nolan Ryan and Cy Young careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Cy Young's ended in 1911, and Nolan Ryan debuted in 1966. With 807 games against 906 across 27 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Nolan Ryan's edges on the table are strikeouts (5,714 to 2,803) and strikeouts per nine (9.55 to 3.43). By rate, Nolan Ryan struck out 9.55 and walked 4.67 per nine innings; Cy Young struck out 3.43 and walked 1.49. Both had the same role: Nolan Ryan was mainly a starter (773 starts in 807 games); Cy Young was mainly a starter (815 starts in 906 games).
Nolan Ryan vs Cy Young: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Nolan Ryan or Cy Young?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cy Young leads Nolan Ryan in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cy Young, with 2.63 to Nolan Ryan's 3.19.
- Who won more games?
- Cy Young, with 511 to Nolan Ryan's 324.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 to Cy Young's 2,803.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cy Young, with 1.13 to Nolan Ryan's 1.25.