Steve Carlton vs Rick Reuschel: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton compiled 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Rick Reuschel put up 214 wins and 2,015 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Steve Carlton
Rick Reuschel
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 | Steve Carlton | Rick Reuschel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 329 | 214 |
| Losses | 244 | 191 |
| Games | 741 | 557 |
| Games Started | 709 | 529 |
| Complete Games | 254 | 102 |
| Shutouts | 55 | 26 |
| Saves | 2 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 4,136 | 2,015 |
| Walks | 1,833 | 935 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,672 | 3,588 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 414 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched | 5,217 | 3,548 |
| ERA | 3.22 | 3.37 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | 5.11 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | 2.37 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces Rick Reuschel 76,502 to 52,650 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,833 vs 2,507 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).
Steve Carlton — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Rick Reuschel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Rick Reuschel owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. PIV agrees: Steve Carlton grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.