Mariano Rivera vs Sandy Koufax

5of 7 lines

2of 7 lines

Mariano Rivera and Sandy Koufax compared on their MLB careers: Mariano Rivera played 19 seasons, 1995 to 2013, Sandy Koufax 12 seasons, 1955 to 1966. Mariano Rivera has 82 wins to Sandy Koufax's 165. Mariano Rivera won 5 titles, Sandy Koufax won 4 titles.

Who has the better career numbers?

Mariano Rivera leads in 5 of the 7 lines, Sandy Koufax in 2. Bold marks the better figure; playing time — games, minutes, at-bats, innings — is not scored.

Mariano Rivera and Sandy Koufax career totals

1,115	GP	397
82	W	165, better
60, better	L	87
2.2, better	ERA	2.8
1,283.2	IP	2,324.1
1,173	K	2,396, better
286, better	BB	817
1, better	WHIP	1.1
652, better	SV	9

How do they compare in the postseason?

Mariano Rivera and Sandy Koufax postseason

96	GP	8
8, better	W	4
1, better	L	3
0.7, better	ERA	1.0
141	IP	57
110, better	K	61
21	BB	11, better
0.8, better	WHIP	0.8
42, better	SV	0

Where each stands all time

Mariano Rivera and Sandy Koufax all-time places

1st (652), better	Saves	—
—	Strikeouts (pitching)	52nd (2,396), better
—	Wins (pitching)	202nd (165), better

Among the MLB players with a career line on file, regular season, counting stats only — the same lists the records pages run on.

Titles and awards

Mariano Rivera and Sandy Koufax titles and awards

5, better	Championships	4
—	Cy Young	3, better
—	NL MVP	1, better
1	World Series MVP	2, better

Awards come from the league’s published winner lists; a championship counts a season played for the club that won it.

Season by season

Lined up by career year, not by calendar: each row is the players’ nth season.

Mariano Rivera and Sandy Koufax season by season

1st	1995	5, better	3	5.51	1955	2	2, better	3.02, better
2nd	1996	8, better	3, better	2.09, better	1956	2	4	4.91
3rd	1997	6, better	4	1.88, better	1957	5	4	3.88
4th	1998	3	0, better	1.91, better	1958	11, better	11	4.48
5th	1999	4	3, better	1.83, better	1959	8, better	6	4.05
6th	2000	7	4, better	2.85, better	1960	8, better	13	3.91
7th	2001	4	6, better	2.34, better	1961	18, better	13	3.52
8th	2002	1	4, better	2.74	1962	14, better	7	2.54, better
9th	2003	5	2, better	1.66, better	1963	25, better	5	1.88
10th	2004	4	2, better	1.94	1964	19, better	5	1.74, better
11th	2005	7	4, better	1.38, better	1965	26, better	8	2.04
12th	2006	5	5, better	1.80	1966	27, better	9	1.73, better
13th	2007	3	4	3.15	—	—	—	—
14th	2008	6	5	1.40	—	—	—	—
15th	2009	3	3	1.76	—	—	—	—
16th	2010	3	3	1.80	—	—	—	—
17th	2011	1	2	1.91	—	—	—	—
18th	2012	1	1	2.16	—	—	—	—
19th	2013	6	2	2.11	—	—	—	—

What the columns mean: W · L · ERA