Rick Aguilera vs Steve Howe: 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; Steve Howe played 1980–1996 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 Steve Howe (1980–1996) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rick Aguilera finished with 86 wins and 1,030 strikeouts; Steve Howe finished with 47 wins and 328 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Howe, with 3.03 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games? Rick Aguilera, with 86 to Steve Howe's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rick Aguilera, with 1,030 to Steve Howe's 328.
- Who had the better WHIP? Steve Howe, with 1.20 to Rick Aguilera's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Rick Aguilera, with 1,291.1 to Steve Howe's 606.0.
- 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 Steve Howe's 12,134.
Rick Aguilera
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 | Steve Howe |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 86 | 47 |
| Losses not scored | 81 | 41 |
| Games | Leads: 732 | 497 |
| Games Started | Leads: 89 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 10 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 318 | 91 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,030 | 328 |
| Walks not scored | 351 | 139 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,233 | 586 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 138 | 32 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,291.1 | 606.0 |
| ERA | 3.57 | Leads: 3.03 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.20 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.18 | 4.87 |
| BB/9 | 2.45 | Leads: 2.06 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Aguilera outpaces Steve Howe 17,939 to 12,134 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 944 PIV per season to 933, across 19 seasons to 13. 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)
Steve Howe
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, K/9, and innings pitched, while Steve Howe owns ERA and WHIP. 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 Steve Howe careers compare
Rick Aguilera and Steve Howe were active at the same time between 1985 and 1996. With 732 games against 497 across 19 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Steve Howe are ERA (3.03 to 3.57), WHIP (1.20 to 1.23), and walks per nine (2.06 to 2.45). By rate, Rick Aguilera struck out 7.18 and walked 2.45 per nine innings; Steve Howe struck out 4.87 and walked 2.06. Rick Aguilera worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 732 games, 318 saves), and Steve Howe worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 497 games, 91 saves). In WHIP, Steve Howe's 1.20 beats Rick Aguilera's 1.23.
Rick Aguilera vs Steve Howe: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Aguilera or Steve Howe?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Aguilera leads Steve Howe in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Howe, with 3.03 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games?
- Rick Aguilera, with 86 to Steve Howe's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rick Aguilera, with 1,030 to Steve Howe's 328.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Steve Howe, with 1.20 to Rick Aguilera's 1.23.