Johnny Welch
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1926-1936)
Johnny Welch was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1926 to 1936 for the Chicago Cubs, the Boston Red Sox, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, a span of 11 seasons. Across 172 career appearances, he went 35-41 with a 4.66 ERA and 257 strikeouts. He also batted .219 with 1 home runs.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- 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
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'3" / 184 lb
- Died
- 9/2/1940 in St. Louis, MO, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1926-05-22
- Last Game
- 1936-08-26
Full name: John Vernon Welch
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | CHN | NL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.08 | — | 0.0 |
| 1927 | CHN | NL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9.00 | — | 0.0 |
| 1928 | CHN | NL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 15.75 | — | 0.0 |
| 1931 | CHN | NL | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33.2 | 39 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 3.74 | 4.10 (+9%) | -316.3 |
| 1932 | BOS | AL | 4 | 6 | 20 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 72.1 | 93 | 42 | 38 | 26 | 5.23 | 4.13 (-27%) | -942.4 |
| 1933 | BOS | AL | 4 | 9 | 47 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 129.0 | 142 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 4.60 | 3.86 (-19%) | -677.5 |
| 1934 | BOS | AL | 13 | 15 | 41 | 22 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 206.1 | 223 | 103 | 76 | 91 | 4.49 | 4.29 (-5%) | -776.1 |
| 1935 | BOS | AL | 10 | 9 | 31 | 19 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 143.0 | 155 | 71 | 53 | 48 | 4.47 | 4.35 (-3%) | 990.3 |
| 1936 | BOS | AL | 2 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32.2 | 43 | 20 | 8 | 9 | 5.51 | 4.59 (-20%) | -446.2 |
| 1936 | PIT | NL | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22.0 | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 4.50 | 4.59 (+2%) | -499.0 |
| Career · 10 seasons | 35 | 41 | 172 | 63 | 24 | 3 | 6 | 648.1 | 735 | 336 | 262 | 257 | 4.66 | — | -2,667 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 175 | 228 | 27 | 50 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 14 | 43 | .219 | .264 | .272 | .536 | -714 |
Career AVG .219 vs. league average .279 across their career seasons — 21.3% below league average.
Career OBP .264 vs. league average .341 across their career seasons — 22.5% below league average.
Career SLG .272 vs. league average .392 across their career seasons — 30.7% below league average.
Career OPS .536 vs. league average .734 across their career seasons — 26.9% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | CHN | NL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1927 | CHN | NL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1928 | CHN | NL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1931 | CHN | NL | 8 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .417 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1932 | BOS | AL | 23 | 36 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .250 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1933 | BOS | AL | 47 | 37 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .162 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1934 | BOS | AL | 41 | 74 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 17 | .203 | .278 (-27%) | .340 (-34%) | .392 (-45%) | .733 (-40%) | -477.6 |
| 1935 | BOS | AL | 31 | 50 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 9 | .180 | .279 (-36%) | .342 (-14%) | .399 (-45%) | .742 (-31%) | -236.6 |
| 1936 | BOS | AL | 9 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .273 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1936 | PIT | NL | 9 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .286 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 10 seasons | 175 | 228 | 27 | 50 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 14 | 43 | .219 | — | — | — | — | -714 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (347 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 84 | 111 | 10 | 21 | 0 | 10 | .189 |
| Away | 91 | 117 | 17 | 29 | 1 | 9 | .248 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 82 | 323.2 | 389 | 166 | 116 | 131 | 4.62 |
| Away | 90 | 325.0 | 346 | 172 | 143 | 126 | 4.76 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936-08-26 | PIT | BRO | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-07-29 | PIT | BSN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-07-22 | PIT | PHI | L | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-07-17 | PIT | NY1 | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-07-15 | PIT | NY1 | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-07-13 | PIT | BSN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-07-04 | PIT | CHC | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-06-24 | PIT | NY1 | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-06-09 | PIT | BRO | W | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1936-05-20 | BOS | SLA | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936-08-26 | PIT | BRO | — | 3.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1936-07-29 | PIT | BSN | — | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-07-22 | PIT | PHI | — | 2.0 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1936-07-17 | PIT | NY1 | — | 6.2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1936-07-15 | PIT | NY1 | — | 2.1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1936-07-13 | PIT | BSN | — | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-07-04 | PIT | CHC | SV | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1936-06-24 | PIT | NY1 | — | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-06-09 | PIT | BRO | — | 4.0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936-05-20 | BOS | SLA | — | 0.2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | CHN | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1927 | CHN | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1928 | CHN | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1931 | CHN | P | 8 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1932 | BOS | P | 20 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| 1933 | BOS | P | 47 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 0 |
| 1934 | BOS | P | 41 | 0 | 9 | 40 | 0 | 3 |
| 1935 | BOS | P | 31 | 0 | 5 | 27 | 1 | 2 |
| 1936 | BOS | P | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1936 | PIT | P | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 172 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Johnny Welch (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Johnny Welch: the record in brief
Johnny Welch's major league career runs from a debut on May 22, 1926 to a final game on August 26, 1936. The season rows list, in order, the Chicago Cubs (1926 to 1931), the Boston Red Sox (1932 through 1936), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1936). Welch, a pitcher by primary position, hit left-handed while throwing right-handed. Welch is listed at 6-foot-3 and 184 pounds. Welch was born on December 2, 1906, in Washington, DC, USA. Welch died on September 2, 1940, in St. Louis, MO, USA. The given name on file is John Vernon Welch.
Welch went 35-41 with a 4.66 ERA in 172 games, 63 of them starts. Also on Welch's record: 257 strikeouts and 24 complete games. Against a 4.18 league ERA for the same seasons, the 4.66 mark was 11.7% worse. The best win total was 13, in 1934. 1935 was Welch's sharpest full season, a 4.47 ERA against the league's 4.35.
Frequently Asked Questions about Johnny Welch
- What years did Johnny Welch play?
- Johnny Welch played in Major League Baseball from 1926 to 1936.
- Was Johnny Welch a pitcher?
- Yes. Johnny Welch pitched in the major leagues, recording 35 wins and 257 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Johnny Welch hit?
- Johnny Welch hit 1 career home run with 50 hits.
- What teams did Johnny Welch play for?
- Johnny Welch played for 3 teams: the Chicago Cubs (1926–1928, 1931), the Boston Red Sox (1932–1936), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1936).
- What were Johnny Welch's career stats?
- In 172 games, Johnny Welch went 35-41 with a 4.66 ERA, 257 strikeouts, 648.1 innings pitched, and 6 saves. At the plate he had 50 hits and 1 home runs.
- What position did Johnny Welch play?
- Johnny Welch played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Johnny Welch and how much did he weigh?
- Johnny Welch was listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 184 pounds.
- What was Johnny Welch's career ERA?
- Johnny Welch finished with a 4.66 career ERA, going 35-41 with 257 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Johnny Welch have?
- Johnny Welch recorded 257 career strikeouts.
- Is Johnny Welch in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Johnny Welch has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.