Rick Aguilera vs Jeff Montgomery: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Aguilera has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Jeff Montgomery played 1987–1999 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 Jeff Montgomery (1987–1999) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rick Aguilera finished with 86 wins and 1,030 strikeouts; Jeff Montgomery finished with 46 wins and 733 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jeff Montgomery, with 3.27 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games? Rick Aguilera, with 86 to Jeff Montgomery's 46.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rick Aguilera, with 1,030 to Jeff Montgomery's 733.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rick Aguilera, with 1.23 to Jeff Montgomery's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Rick Aguilera, with 1,291.1 to Jeff Montgomery's 868.2.
- 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 Jeff Montgomery's 12,043.
Rick Aguilera
Jeff Montgomery
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 | Jeff Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 86 | 46 |
| Losses not scored | 81 | 52 |
| Games | Leads: 732 | 700 |
| Games Started | Leads: 89 | 1 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 10 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 318 | 304 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,030 | 733 |
| Walks not scored | 351 | 296 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,233 | 785 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 138 | 81 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,291.1 | 868.2 |
| ERA | 3.57 | Leads: 3.27 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.24 |
| K/9 | 7.18 | Leads: 7.59 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.45 | 3.07 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Aguilera outpaces Jeff Montgomery 17,939 to 12,043 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 944 PIV per season to 926, 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)
Jeff Montgomery
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 Jeff Montgomery 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 Jeff Montgomery careers compare
From 1987 through 1999, Rick Aguilera and Jeff Montgomery were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 732 games for Rick Aguilera and 700 for Jeff Montgomery across 19 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Jeff Montgomery are ERA (3.27 to 3.57) and strikeouts per nine (7.59 to 7.18). By rate, Rick Aguilera struck out 7.18 and walked 2.45 per nine innings; Jeff Montgomery struck out 7.59 and walked 3.07. Both had the same role: Rick Aguilera worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 732 games, 318 saves); Jeff Montgomery worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 700 games, 304 saves).
Rick Aguilera vs Jeff Montgomery: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Aguilera or Jeff Montgomery?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Aguilera leads Jeff Montgomery in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jeff Montgomery, with 3.27 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games?
- Rick Aguilera, with 86 to Jeff Montgomery's 46.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rick Aguilera, with 1,030 to Jeff Montgomery's 733.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rick Aguilera, with 1.23 to Jeff Montgomery's 1.24.