Rick Aguilera vs Paul Assenmacher: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Aguilera has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rick Aguilera played 1985–2000 as a pitcher; Paul Assenmacher played 1986–1999 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
Rick Aguilera (1985–2000) and Paul Assenmacher (1986–1999) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rick Aguilera finished with 86 wins and 1,030 strikeouts; Paul Assenmacher finished with 61 wins and 807 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Paul Assenmacher, with 3.53 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games? Rick Aguilera, with 86 to Paul Assenmacher's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rick Aguilera, with 1,030 to Paul Assenmacher's 807.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rick Aguilera, with 1.23 to Paul Assenmacher's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Rick Aguilera, with 1,291.1 to Paul Assenmacher's 855.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rick Aguilera, with 17,939 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Assenmacher's 16,548.
Rick Aguilera
Paul Assenmacher
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rick Aguilera | Paul Assenmacher |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 86 | 61 |
| Losses not scored | 81 | 44 |
| Games | 732 | Leads: 884 |
| Games Started | Leads: 89 | 1 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 10 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 318 | 56 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,030 | 807 |
| Walks not scored | 351 | 315 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,233 | 817 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 138 | 73 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,291.1 | 855.2 |
| ERA | 3.57 | Leads: 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.32 |
| K/9 | 7.18 | Leads: 8.49 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.45 | 3.31 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Aguilera edges Paul Assenmacher 17,939 to 16,548 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rick Aguilera played 19 seasons to Paul Assenmacher's 16, while Paul Assenmacher carries the higher per-season figure (1,034 to 944). 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).
Rick Aguilera — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Paul Assenmacher
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rick Aguilera leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Paul Assenmacher owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rick Aguilera. PIV agrees: Rick Aguilera grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Aguilera and Paul Assenmacher careers compare
Rick Aguilera and Paul Assenmacher were active at the same time between 1986 and 1999. The two careers are close in length, 732 games for Rick Aguilera and 884 for Paul Assenmacher across 19 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Paul Assenmacher comes out ahead, it is in games (884 to 732), ERA (3.53 to 3.57), and strikeouts per nine (8.49 to 7.18). The per-nine rows read 7.18 strikeouts and 2.45 walks for Rick Aguilera, 8.49 and 3.31 for Paul Assenmacher. Rick Aguilera worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 732 games, 318 saves), and Paul Assenmacher worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 884 games, 56 saves).
Rick Aguilera vs Paul Assenmacher: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Aguilera or Paul Assenmacher?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Aguilera leads Paul Assenmacher in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Paul Assenmacher, with 3.53 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games?
- Rick Aguilera, with 86 to Paul Assenmacher's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rick Aguilera, with 1,030 to Paul Assenmacher's 807.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rick Aguilera, with 1.23 to Paul Assenmacher's 1.32.