Dennis Eckersley vs Dave Righetti: Career Stats Comparison
Dennis Eckersley has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 as a pitcher; Dave Righetti played 1979–1995 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
Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) and Dave Righetti (1979–1995) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Dennis Eckersley finished with 197 wins and 2,401 strikeouts; Dave Righetti finished with 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Dave Righetti, with 3.46 to Dennis Eckersley's 3.50.
- Who won more games? Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Dave Righetti's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Dave Righetti's 1,112.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dennis Eckersley, with 1.16 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Dennis Eckersley, with 3,285.2 to Dave Righetti's 1,403.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 20 to Dave Righetti's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Dave Righetti's 20,202.
Dennis Eckersley
Dave Righetti
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dennis Eckersley | Dave Righetti |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 197 | 82 |
| Losses not scored | 171 | 79 |
| Games | Leads: 1,071 | 718 |
| Games Started | Leads: 361 | 89 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 100 | 13 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 2 |
| Saves | Leads: 390 | 252 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,401 | 1,112 |
| Walks not scored | 738 | 591 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,076 | 1,287 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 95 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,285.2 | 1,403.2 |
| ERA | 3.50 | Leads: 3.46 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.16 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | 6.58 | Leads: 7.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 3.79 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dennis Eckersley outpaces Dave Righetti 41,139 to 20,202 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,646 PIV per season to 1,188, across 25 seasons to 17. 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).
Dennis Eckersley — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dave Righetti — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dennis Eckersley leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Dave Righetti owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dennis Eckersley. PIV agrees: Dennis Eckersley grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dennis Eckersley and Dave Righetti careers compare
From 1979 through 1995, Dennis Eckersley and Dave Righetti were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,071 games for Dennis Eckersley and 718 for Dave Righetti across 25 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Dave Righetti are ERA (3.46 to 3.50) and strikeouts per nine (7.13 to 6.58). The per-nine rows read 6.58 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Dennis Eckersley, 7.13 and 3.79 for Dave Righetti. Dennis Eckersley split time between starting and relief (361 starts in 1,071 games), while Dave Righetti worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 718 games, 252 saves).
Dennis Eckersley vs Dave Righetti: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dennis Eckersley or Dave Righetti?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dennis Eckersley leads Dave Righetti in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Dave Righetti, with 3.46 to Dennis Eckersley's 3.50.
- Who won more games?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Dave Righetti's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Dave Righetti's 1,112.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 1.16 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.