David Cone vs Rick Reuschel: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Reuschel has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). David Cone played 1986–2003 as a pitcher; Rick Reuschel played 1972–1991 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 Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. David Cone finished with 194 wins and 2,668 strikeouts; Rick Reuschel finished with 214 wins and 2,015 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rick Reuschel, with 3.37 to David Cone's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Rick Reuschel, with 214 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Cone, with 2,668 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Cone, with 1.26 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Rick Reuschel, with 3,548.1 to David Cone's 2,898.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rick Reuschel, with 26 to David Cone's 22.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rick Reuschel, with 52,650 career Pitcher PIV to David Cone's 47,099.
David Cone
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. 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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | David Cone | Rick Reuschel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 214 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 191 |
| Games | 450 | Leads: 557 |
| Games Started | 419 | Leads: 529 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 102 |
| Shutouts | 22 | Leads: 26 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,668 | 2,015 |
| Walks not scored | 1,137 | 935 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,504 | 3,588 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 258 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,898.2 | Leads: 3,548.1 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 3.37 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.28 | 5.11 |
| BB/9 | 3.53 | Leads: 2.37 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Reuschel leads David Cone 52,650 to 47,099 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,507 PIV per season to 2,479, across 21 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).
David Cone — 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, Rick Reuschel leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while David Cone owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rick Reuschel. PIV agrees: Rick Reuschel grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the David Cone and Rick Reuschel careers compare
David Cone and Rick Reuschel were active at the same time between 1986 and 1991. With 450 games against 557 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where David Cone comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts (2,668 to 2,015), WHIP (1.26 to 1.27), and strikeouts per nine (8.28 to 5.11). The per-nine rows read 8.28 strikeouts and 3.53 walks for David Cone, 5.11 and 2.37 for Rick Reuschel. David Cone was mainly a starter (419 starts in 450 games), and Rick Reuschel was mainly a starter (529 starts in 557 games). David Cone allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.26 WHIP to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
David Cone vs Rick Reuschel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, David Cone or Rick Reuschel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Reuschel leads David Cone in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rick Reuschel, with 3.37 to David Cone's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Rick Reuschel, with 214 to David Cone's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Cone, with 2,668 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Cone, with 1.26 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.