Curt Schilling vs Bob Welch: Career Stats Comparison
Curt Schilling 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). Curt Schilling played 1988–2007 as a pitcher; Bob Welch played 1978–1994 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 Bob Welch (1978–1994) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Curt Schilling finished with 216 wins and 3,116 strikeouts; Bob Welch finished with 211 wins and 1,969 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Curt Schilling, with 3.46 to Bob Welch's 3.47.
- Who won more games? Curt Schilling, with 216 to Bob Welch's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Bob Welch's 1,969.
- Who had the better WHIP? Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to Bob Welch's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Curt Schilling, with 3,261.0 to Bob Welch's 3,092.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Welch, with 28 to Curt Schilling's 20.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Welch's 15,932.
Curt Schilling
Bob Welch
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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Curt Schilling | Bob Welch |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 216 | 211 |
| Losses not scored | 146 | 146 |
| Games | Leads: 569 | 506 |
| Games Started | 436 | Leads: 462 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 83 | 61 |
| Shutouts | 20 | Leads: 28 |
| Saves | Leads: 22 | 8 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,116 | 1,969 |
| Walks not scored | 711 | 1,034 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,998 | 2,894 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 267 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,261.0 | 3,092.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.46 | 3.47 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.60 | 5.73 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.96 | 3.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling outpaces Bob Welch 98,246 to 15,932 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,678 PIV per season to 937, across 21 seasons to 17. 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)
Bob Welch — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Curt Schilling leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Bob Welch owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Curt Schilling. PIV agrees: Curt Schilling grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Curt Schilling and Bob Welch careers compare
The careers of Curt Schilling (1988–2007) and Bob Welch (1978–1994) overlapped from 1988 to 1994, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 569 games against 506 across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Bob Welch comes out ahead, it is in starts (462 to 436) and shutouts (28 to 20). By rate, Curt Schilling struck out 8.60 and walked 1.96 per nine innings; Bob Welch struck out 5.73 and walked 3.01. Both had the same role: Curt Schilling was mainly a starter (436 starts in 569 games); Bob Welch was mainly a starter (462 starts in 506 games).
Curt Schilling vs Bob Welch: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Curt Schilling or Bob Welch?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Curt Schilling leads Bob Welch in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Curt Schilling, with 3.46 to Bob Welch's 3.47.
- Who won more games?
- Curt Schilling, with 216 to Bob Welch's 211.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Bob Welch's 1,969.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to Bob Welch's 1.27.