Dennis Eckersley vs Mariano Rivera: Career Stats Comparison
Dennis Eckersley and Mariano Rivera are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 as a pitcher; Mariano Rivera played 1995–2013 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 Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dennis Eckersley finished with 197 wins and 2,401 strikeouts; Mariano Rivera finished with 82 wins and 1,173 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Dennis Eckersley's 3.50.
- Who won more games? Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Mariano Rivera's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Mariano Rivera's 1,173.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Dennis Eckersley's 1.16.
- Who pitched more innings? Dennis Eckersley, with 3,285.2 to Mariano Rivera's 1,283.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 20 to Mariano Rivera's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mariano Rivera, with 52,571 career Pitcher PIV to Dennis Eckersley's 41,139.
Dennis Eckersley
Mariano Rivera
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 1970s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dennis Eckersley | Mariano Rivera |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 197 | 82 |
| Losses not scored | 171 | 60 |
| Games | 1,071 | Leads: 1,115 |
| Games Started | Leads: 361 | 10 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 100 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 0 |
| Saves | 390 | Leads: 652 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,401 | 1,173 |
| Walks not scored | 738 | 286 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,076 | 998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 71 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,285.2 | 1,283.2 |
| ERA | 3.50 | Leads: 2.21 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 6.58 | Leads: 8.22 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera leads Dennis Eckersley 52,571 to 41,139 — driven by per-season impact — 2,767 PIV per season to 1,646 — rather than by longevity, since Mariano Rivera played 19 seasons to Dennis Eckersley's 25. 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)
Mariano Rivera
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Mariano Rivera leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Dennis Eckersley owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Mariano Rivera. PIV agrees: Mariano Rivera 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 Mariano Rivera careers compare
The careers of Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) and Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) overlapped from 1995 to 1998, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,071 games against 1,115 across 25 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 6.58 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Dennis Eckersley, 8.22 and 2.01 for Mariano Rivera. Dennis Eckersley split time between starting and relief (361 starts in 1,071 games), while Mariano Rivera worked mostly in relief (10 starts in 1,115 games, 652 saves). The complete-game row, 100 against 0, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Dennis Eckersley vs Mariano Rivera: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Dennis Eckersley's 3.50.
- Who won more games?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Mariano Rivera's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Mariano Rivera's 1,173.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Dennis Eckersley's 1.16.