Curt Schilling vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Curt Schilling played 1988–2007 as a pitcher; Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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
Curt Schilling (1988–2007) and Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Curt Schilling finished with 216 wins and 3,116 strikeouts; Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Curt Schilling's 216.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Curt Schilling's 3,116.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Curt Schilling's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Seaver, with 4,782.2 to Curt Schilling's 3,261.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Curt Schilling's 20.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Seaver's 79,192.
Curt Schilling
Tom Seaver
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 1980s and the 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Curt Schilling | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 216 | Leads: 311 |
| Losses not scored | 146 | 205 |
| Games | 569 | Leads: 656 |
| Games Started | 436 | Leads: 647 |
| Complete Games | 83 | Leads: 231 |
| Shutouts | 20 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | Leads: 22 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 3,116 | Leads: 3,640 |
| Walks not scored | 711 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,998 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,261.0 | Leads: 4,782.2 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.60 | 6.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.96 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling leads Tom Seaver 98,246 to 79,192 — driven by per-season impact — 4,678 PIV per season to 3,600 — rather than by longevity, since Curt Schilling played 21 seasons to Tom Seaver's 22. 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).
Curt Schilling — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Seaver leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Curt Schilling owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. Note that PIV actually grades Curt Schilling ahead, which means Tom Seaver's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Curt Schilling and Tom Seaver careers compare
Tom Seaver (1967–1986) was finished before Curt Schilling (1988–2007) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 569 games for Curt Schilling and 656 for Tom Seaver across 21 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Curt Schilling comes out ahead, it is in saves (22 to 1), strikeouts per nine (8.60 to 6.85), and walks per nine (1.96 to 2.62). The per-nine rows read 8.60 strikeouts and 1.96 walks for Curt Schilling, 6.85 and 2.62 for Tom Seaver. Curt Schilling was mainly a starter (436 starts in 569 games), and Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games).
Curt Schilling vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Curt Schilling or Tom Seaver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Curt Schilling in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Curt Schilling's 216.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Curt Schilling's 3,116.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Curt Schilling's 1.14.