David Cone vs Orel Hershiser: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. David Cone played 1986–2003 as a pitcher; Orel Hershiser played 1983–2000 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
David Cone (1986–2003) and Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. David Cone compiled 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; Orel Hershiser put up 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? David Cone, with 3.46 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Orel Hershiser, with 204 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Cone, with 2,668 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Orel Hershiser, with 3,130 to David Cone's 2,898.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to David Cone's 22.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? David Cone, with 47,099 career Pitcher PIV to Orel Hershiser's 37,276.
David Cone
Orel Hershiser
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | David Cone | Orel Hershiser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 204 |
| Losses | 126 | 150 |
| Games | 450 | Leads: 510 |
| Games Started | 419 | Leads: 466 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 68 |
| Shutouts | 22 | Leads: 25 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,668 | 2,014 |
| Walks | 1,137 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,504 | 2,939 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 258 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,898 | Leads: 3,130 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.46 | 3.48 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.28 | 5.79 |
| BB/9 | 3.53 | Leads: 2.90 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), David Cone leads Orel Hershiser 47,099 to 37,276 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,479 vs 2,071 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).
David Cone — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Orel Hershiser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Cone leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Orel Hershiser owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Cone. PIV agrees: David Cone grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
David Cone vs Orel Hershiser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Cone or Orel Hershiser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orel Hershiser leads David Cone in 8 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Cone, with 3.46 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Orel Hershiser, with 204 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Cone, with 2,668 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.26.