Rick Aguilera vs Dennis Eckersley: Career Stats Comparison
Dennis Eckersley has the better career line of the two, leading 11 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; Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 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 Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rick Aguilera finished with 86 wins and 1,030 strikeouts; Dennis Eckersley finished with 197 wins and 2,401 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Dennis Eckersley, with 3.50 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games? Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Rick Aguilera's 86.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Rick Aguilera's 1,030.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dennis Eckersley, with 1.16 to Rick Aguilera's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Dennis Eckersley, with 3,285.2 to Rick Aguilera's 1,291.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 20 to Rick Aguilera's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Rick Aguilera's 17,939.
Rick Aguilera
Dennis Eckersley
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 | Rick Aguilera | Dennis Eckersley |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 86 | Leads: 197 |
| Losses not scored | 81 | 171 |
| Games | 732 | Leads: 1,071 |
| Games Started | 89 | Leads: 361 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 100 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 20 |
| Saves | 318 | Leads: 390 |
| Strikeouts | 1,030 | Leads: 2,401 |
| Walks not scored | 351 | 738 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,233 | 3,076 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 138 | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,291.1 | Leads: 3,285.2 |
| ERA | 3.57 | Leads: 3.50 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.16 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.18 | 6.58 |
| BB/9 | 2.45 | Leads: 2.02 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dennis Eckersley outpaces Rick Aguilera 41,139 to 17,939 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,646 PIV per season to 944, across 25 seasons to 19. 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)
Dennis Eckersley — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dennis Eckersley leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Rick Aguilera owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dennis Eckersley. PIV agrees: Dennis Eckersley 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 Dennis Eckersley careers compare
The careers of Rick Aguilera (1985–2000) and Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) overlapped from 1985 to 1998, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 732 games for Rick Aguilera and 1,071 for Dennis Eckersley across 19 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Rick Aguilera are strikeouts per nine (7.18 to 6.58). By rate, Rick Aguilera struck out 7.18 and walked 2.45 per nine innings; Dennis Eckersley struck out 6.58 and walked 2.02.
Rick Aguilera vs Dennis Eckersley: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Aguilera or Dennis Eckersley?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dennis Eckersley leads Rick Aguilera in 11 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 3.50 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Rick Aguilera's 86.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Rick Aguilera's 1,030.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 1.16 to Rick Aguilera's 1.23.