Larry Andersen vs Rich Gossage: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Larry Andersen played 1975–1994 as a pitcher; Rich Gossage played 1972–1994 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
Larry Andersen (1975–1994) and Rich Gossage (1972–1994) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Larry Andersen finished with 40 wins and 758 strikeouts; Rich Gossage finished with 124 wins and 1,502 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Larry Andersen's 3.15.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Larry Andersen's 40.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Larry Andersen's 758.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rich Gossage, with 1.23 to Larry Andersen's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Rich Gossage, with 1,809.1 to Larry Andersen's 995.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rich Gossage, with 28,157 career Pitcher PIV to Larry Andersen's 22,588.
Larry Andersen
Rich Gossage
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 | Larry Andersen | Rich Gossage |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 40 | Leads: 124 |
| Losses not scored | 39 | 107 |
| Games | 699 | Leads: 1,002 |
| Games Started | 1 | Leads: 37 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 16 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 49 | Leads: 310 |
| Strikeouts | 758 | Leads: 1,502 |
| Walks not scored | 311 | 732 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 932 | 1,497 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 58 | 119 |
| Innings Pitched | 995.1 | Leads: 1,809.1 |
| ERA | 3.15 | Leads: 3.01 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.23 |
| K/9 | 6.85 | Leads: 7.47 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.81 | 3.64 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rich Gossage leads Larry Andersen 28,157 to 22,588 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,224 PIV per season to 1,189, across 23 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).
Larry Andersen
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Rich Gossage — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rich Gossage leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Larry Andersen owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rich Gossage. PIV agrees: Rich Gossage grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Larry Andersen and Rich Gossage careers compare
From 1975 through 1994, Larry Andersen and Rich Gossage were in the majors together. With 699 games against 1,002 across 19 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Larry Andersen comes out ahead, it is in walks per nine (2.81 to 3.64). The per-nine rows read 6.85 strikeouts and 2.81 walks for Larry Andersen, 7.47 and 3.64 for Rich Gossage. Larry Andersen worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 699 games, 49 saves), and Rich Gossage worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 1,002 games, 310 saves). Rich Gossage allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.23 WHIP to Larry Andersen's 1.25.
Larry Andersen vs Rich Gossage: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Larry Andersen or Rich Gossage?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rich Gossage leads Larry Andersen in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Larry Andersen's 3.15.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Larry Andersen's 40.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Larry Andersen's 758.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rich Gossage, with 1.23 to Larry Andersen's 1.25.