Aroldis Chapman vs Tom Gordon: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Aroldis Chapman has played 2010–present as a pitcher; Tom Gordon played 1988–2009 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
Aroldis Chapman (2010–present) and Tom Gordon (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Aroldis Chapman has 63 wins and 1,402 strikeouts through October 6, 2026; Tom Gordon finished with 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Aroldis Chapman, with 2.48 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Aroldis Chapman's 63.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Aroldis Chapman's 1,402.
- Who had the better WHIP? Aroldis Chapman, with 1.08 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108.0 to Aroldis Chapman's 873.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Aroldis Chapman's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Aroldis Chapman, with 36,308 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Gordon's 29,014.
Aroldis Chapman
Tom Gordon
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 2010s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Aroldis Chapman is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Aroldis Chapman | Tom Gordon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 63 | Leads: 138 |
| Losses not scored | 52 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 916 | 890 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 203 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 18 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 4 |
| Saves | Leads: 402 | 158 |
| Strikeouts | 1,402 | Leads: 1,928 |
| Walks not scored | 431 | 977 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 510 | 1,889 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 176 |
| Innings Pitched | 873.0 | Leads: 2,108.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.48 | 3.96 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.08 | 1.36 |
| K/9 | Leads: 14.45 | 8.23 |
| BB/9 | 4.44 | Leads: 4.17 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Aroldis Chapman leads Tom Gordon 36,308 to 29,014 — driven by per-season impact — 2,017 PIV per season to 1,319 — rather than by longevity, since Aroldis Chapman played 18 seasons to Tom Gordon's 22. 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).
Aroldis Chapman
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Tom Gordon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Aroldis Chapman leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tom Gordon owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Aroldis Chapman. PIV agrees: Aroldis Chapman grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Aroldis Chapman and Tom Gordon careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Tom Gordon's ended in 2009, and Aroldis Chapman debuted in 2010. With 916 games against 890 across 18 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 14.45 strikeouts and 4.44 walks for Aroldis Chapman, 8.23 and 4.17 for Tom Gordon. Their roles differ: Aroldis Chapman worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 916 games, 402 saves); Tom Gordon split time between starting and relief (203 starts in 890 games). Aroldis Chapman allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.08 WHIP to Tom Gordon's 1.36. Only Tom Gordon has a season on the peak list; Aroldis Chapman never reached the qualifying workload. Aroldis Chapman's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Aroldis Chapman vs Tom Gordon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Aroldis Chapman or Tom Gordon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Gordon leads Aroldis Chapman in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Aroldis Chapman, with 2.48 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Aroldis Chapman's 63.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Aroldis Chapman's 1,402.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Aroldis Chapman, with 1.08 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.