Rick Aguilera vs Duane Ward: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Aguilera (1985–2000) and Duane Ward (1986–1995) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rick Aguilera compiled 86 wins and 1,030 strikeouts; Duane Ward put up 32 wins and 679 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Rick Aguilera | Duane Ward |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 86 | 32 |
| Losses | 81 | 37 |
| Games | 732 | 462 |
| Games Started | 89 | 2 |
| Complete Games | 10 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 318 | 121 |
| Strikeouts | 1,030 | 679 |
| Walks | 351 | 286 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,233 | 551 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 138 | 32 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,291 | 666 |
| ERA | 3.57 | 3.28 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 7.18 | 9.17 |
| BB/9 | 2.45 | 3.86 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Duane Ward edges Rick Aguilera 18,942 to 17,939 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,894 vs 944 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Duane Ward — top 1 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rick Aguilera leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Duane Ward owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rick Aguilera. Note that PIV actually grades Duane Ward ahead, which means Rick Aguilera's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.