Rod Beck vs Eric Gagne: Career Stats Comparison
Rod Beck 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). Rod Beck played 1991–2004 as a pitcher; Eric Gagne played 1999–2008 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
Rod Beck (1991–2004) and Eric Gagne (1999–2008) — both came up during the 1990s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rod Beck finished with 38 wins and 644 strikeouts; Eric Gagne finished with 33 wins and 718 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rod Beck, with 3.30 to Eric Gagne's 3.47.
- Who won more games? Rod Beck, with 38 to Eric Gagne's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Eric Gagne, with 718 to Rod Beck's 644.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.16.
- Who pitched more innings? Rod Beck, with 768.0 to Eric Gagne's 643.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eric Gagne, with 14,441 career Pitcher PIV to Rod Beck's 9,964.
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 | Rod Beck | Eric Gagne |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 38 | 33 |
| Losses not scored | 45 | 26 |
| Games | Leads: 704 | 402 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 48 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 286 | 187 |
| Strikeouts | 644 | Leads: 718 |
| Walks not scored | 191 | 226 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 703 | 518 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 97 | 76 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 768.0 | 643.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.30 | 3.47 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | Leads: 1.16 |
| K/9 | 7.55 | Leads: 10.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.24 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eric Gagne outpaces Rod Beck 14,441 to 9,964 — driven by per-season impact — 1,313 PIV per season to 712 — rather than by longevity, since Eric Gagne played 11 seasons to Rod Beck's 14. 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).
Rod Beck
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Eric Gagne — top 1 season by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eric Gagne leads in strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Rod Beck owns wins, ERA, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eric Gagne. PIV agrees: Eric Gagne grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rod Beck and Eric Gagne careers compare
From 1999 through 2004, Rod Beck and Eric Gagne were in the majors together. Rod Beck has the far longer record, 704 games against 402 across 14 and 11 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Eric Gagne's edges on the table are starts (48 to 0), strikeouts (718 to 644), and WHIP (1.16 to 1.16). The per-nine rows read 7.55 strikeouts and 2.24 walks for Rod Beck, 10.04 and 3.16 for Eric Gagne. Rod Beck worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 704 games, 286 saves), and Eric Gagne worked mostly in relief (48 starts in 402 games, 187 saves). In WHIP, Eric Gagne's 1.16 beats Rod Beck's 1.16.
Rod Beck vs Eric Gagne: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rod Beck or Eric Gagne?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rod Beck leads Eric Gagne in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rod Beck, with 3.30 to Eric Gagne's 3.47.
- Who won more games?
- Rod Beck, with 38 to Eric Gagne's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Eric Gagne, with 718 to Rod Beck's 644.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.16.