Rick Aguilera vs Jesse Orosco: Career Stats Comparison
Jesse Orosco has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Jesse Orosco played 1979–2003 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 Jesse Orosco (1979–2003) — 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; Jesse Orosco finished with 87 wins and 1,179 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jesse Orosco, with 3.16 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games? Jesse Orosco, with 87 to Rick Aguilera's 86.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jesse Orosco, with 1,179 to Rick Aguilera's 1,030.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rick Aguilera, with 1.23 to Jesse Orosco's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Jesse Orosco, with 1,295.1 to Rick Aguilera's 1,291.1.
- 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 Jesse Orosco's 15,724.
Rick Aguilera
Jesse Orosco
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 | Jesse Orosco |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 86 | Leads: 87 |
| Losses not scored | 81 | 80 |
| Games | 732 | Leads: 1,252 |
| Games Started | Leads: 89 | 4 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 10 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 318 | 144 |
| Strikeouts | 1,030 | Leads: 1,179 |
| Walks not scored | 351 | 581 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,233 | 1,055 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 138 | 113 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,291.1 | Leads: 1,295.1 |
| ERA | 3.57 | Leads: 3.16 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 7.18 | Leads: 8.19 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.45 | 4.04 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Aguilera leads Jesse Orosco 17,939 to 15,724 — driven by per-season impact — 944 PIV per season to 605 — rather than by longevity, since Rick Aguilera played 19 seasons to Jesse Orosco's 26. 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)
Jesse Orosco
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jesse Orosco leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Rick Aguilera owns WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jesse Orosco. Note that PIV actually grades Rick Aguilera ahead, which means Jesse Orosco's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Aguilera and Jesse Orosco careers compare
Rick Aguilera and Jesse Orosco were active at the same time between 1985 and 2000. Jesse Orosco has the far longer record, 1,252 games against 732 across 19 and 26 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The per-nine rows read 7.18 strikeouts and 2.45 walks for Rick Aguilera, 8.19 and 4.04 for Jesse Orosco. Both had the same role: Rick Aguilera worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 732 games, 318 saves); Jesse Orosco worked mostly in relief (4 starts in 1,252 games, 144 saves). In WHIP, Rick Aguilera's 1.23 beats Jesse Orosco's 1.26. Only Rick Aguilera has a season on the peak list; Jesse Orosco never reached the qualifying workload.
Rick Aguilera vs Jesse Orosco: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Aguilera or Jesse Orosco?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jesse Orosco leads Rick Aguilera in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jesse Orosco, with 3.16 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games?
- Jesse Orosco, with 87 to Rick Aguilera's 86.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jesse Orosco, with 1,179 to Rick Aguilera's 1,030.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rick Aguilera, with 1.23 to Jesse Orosco's 1.26.