Dennis Eckersley vs Rich Gossage: Career Stats Comparison
Dennis Eckersley and Rich Gossage played different roles, so their careers are compared side by side rather than scored against each other. Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 as a starting pitcher; Rich Gossage played 1972–1994 as a relief 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
Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) and Rich Gossage (1972–1994) held different pitching jobs, so this page does not score them category by category. Dennis Eckersley worked mainly as a starter, with 361 starts and 197 wins; Rich Gossage worked mainly in relief, with 1,002 games and 310 saves. Each career is shown below in its own role, with Pitcher PIV as the comparison.
Quick answer
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Rich Gossage's 28,157.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Dennis Eckersley
Rich Gossage
Career Stats, Each in His Own Role
Dennis Eckersley is shown as a starter and Rich Gossage as a reliever. Nothing is marked as a category winner, because a starter's totals and a reliever's totals measure different jobs.
Dennis Eckersley — Starting Pitcher
| Statistic | Dennis Eckersley |
|---|---|
| Wins | 197 |
| Losses | 171 |
| Games | 1,071 |
| Games Started | 361 |
| Complete Games | 100 |
| Shutouts | 20 |
| Saves | 390 |
| Strikeouts | 2,401 |
| Walks | 738 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,076 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,285.2 |
| ERA | 3.50 |
| WHIP | 1.16 |
| K/9 | 6.58 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 |
Rich Gossage — Relief Pitcher
| Statistic | Rich Gossage |
|---|---|
| Wins | 124 |
| Losses | 107 |
| Games | 1,002 |
| Games Started | 37 |
| Complete Games | 16 |
| Shutouts | 0 |
| Saves | 310 |
| Strikeouts | 1,502 |
| Walks | 732 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,497 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 119 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,809.1 |
| ERA | 3.01 |
| WHIP | 1.23 |
| K/9 | 7.47 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 |
PIV Comparison
Dennis Eckersley carries a career Pitcher PIV of 41,139; Rich Gossage carries a career Pitcher PIV of 28,157. Dennis Eckersley is the higher of the two at 41,139 to 28,157. Pitcher PIV scores each season against that season's league and weights it by workload, so a starter's innings add to his total.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings for a starter, 40+ for a reliever).
Dennis Eckersley — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Rich Gossage — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
There is no head-to-head scoreboard for Dennis Eckersley and Rich Gossage: one worked mainly as a starter and the other mainly in relief. On Pitcher PIV, Dennis Eckersley is higher, 41,139 to 28,157. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dennis Eckersley and Rich Gossage careers compare
The careers of Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) and Rich Gossage (1972–1994) overlapped from 1975 to 1994, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Dennis Eckersley's pitching card shows 197 wins, a 3.50 ERA and 2,401 strikeouts. As a pitcher, Rich Gossage went 124-107 with a 3.01 ERA and 1,502 strikeouts. One worked mainly as a starter and the other mainly in relief, so the page keeps their statistics in separate tables and compares them on Pitcher PIV. Best seasons: 1975 for Dennis Eckersley (2.60 ERA, 13-7, 152 K in 186 IP) and 1981 for Rich Gossage (0.77 ERA, 3-2, 20 SV, 48 K in 46 IP).
Dennis Eckersley vs Rich Gossage: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Rich Gossage's 28,157.
- Who won more championships?
- Both — each won 1 World Series title.
- How do Dennis Eckersley and Rich Gossage compare?
- Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 and Rich Gossage played 1972–1994; this page sets their career totals side by side in every category both accumulated.