Kelvim Escobar vs Tom Gordon: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Kelvim Escobar played 1997–2009 as a pitcher; Tom Gordon played 1988–2009 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
Kelvim Escobar (1997–2009) and Tom Gordon (1988–2009) — they debuted in the 1990s and the 1980s respectively and share 13 seasons. Kelvim Escobar finished with 101 wins and 1,310 strikeouts; Tom Gordon finished with 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Tom Gordon, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Gordon, with 3.96 to Kelvim Escobar's 4.15.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Kelvim Escobar's 101.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Kelvim Escobar's 1,310.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Gordon, with 1.36 to Kelvim Escobar's 1.37.
- How many innings did each pitch? Kelvim Escobar 1,507.0, Tom Gordon 2,108.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 4.
Kelvim Escobar
Tom Gordon
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Kelvim Escobar | Tom Gordon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 101 | Leads: 138 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 126 |
| Games not scored | 411 | 890 |
| Games Started not scored | 202 | 203 |
| Complete Games | 10 | Leads: 18 |
| Shutouts | 4 | 4 |
| Saves not scored | 59 | 158 |
| Strikeouts | 1,310 | Leads: 1,928 |
| Walks not scored | 611 | 977 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,461 | 1,889 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 137 | 176 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,507.0 | 2,108.0 |
| ERA | 4.15 | Leads: 3.96 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | Leads: 1.36 |
| K/9 | 7.82 | Leads: 8.23 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.65 | 4.17 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Gordon leads Kelvim Escobar 29,014 to 25,219 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tom Gordon played 21 seasons to Kelvim Escobar's 12, while Kelvim Escobar carries the higher per-season figure (2,102 to 1,382). 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).
Kelvim Escobar — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tom Gordon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Tom Gordon leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Kelvim Escobar leads 1: walks per nine. 1 is tied. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Gordon. PIV agrees: Tom Gordon grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Kelvim Escobar and Tom Gordon careers compare
The careers of Kelvim Escobar (1997–2009) and Tom Gordon (1988–2009) overlapped from 1997 to 2009, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 411 games of Kelvim Escobar with 890 of Tom Gordon across 12 and 21 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Kelvim Escobar are walks per nine (3.65 to 4.17). By rate, Kelvim Escobar struck out 7.82 and walked 3.65 per nine innings; Tom Gordon struck out 8.23 and walked 4.17. Kelvim Escobar split time between starting and relief (202 starts in 411 games), and Tom Gordon split time between starting and relief (203 starts in 890 games).
Kelvim Escobar vs Tom Gordon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Kelvim Escobar or Tom Gordon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Gordon leads Kelvim Escobar in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Gordon, with 3.96 to Kelvim Escobar's 4.15.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Kelvim Escobar's 101.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Kelvim Escobar's 1,310.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Gordon, with 1.36 to Kelvim Escobar's 1.37.