Rollie Fingers vs Tom Gordon: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985 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
Rollie Fingers (1968–1985) and Tom Gordon (1988–2009) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rollie Fingers finished with 114 wins and 1,299 strikeouts; Tom Gordon finished with 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rollie Fingers, with 2.90 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Rollie Fingers's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Rollie Fingers's 1,299.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rollie Fingers, with 1.16 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108.0 to Rollie Fingers's 1,701.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Rollie Fingers's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rollie Fingers, with 33,082 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Gordon's 29,014.
Rollie Fingers
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. 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 1960s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rollie Fingers | Tom Gordon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 114 | Leads: 138 |
| Losses not scored | 118 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 944 | 890 |
| Games Started | 37 | Leads: 203 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 18 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 4 |
| Saves | Leads: 341 | 158 |
| Strikeouts | 1,299 | Leads: 1,928 |
| Walks not scored | 492 | 977 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,474 | 1,889 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 123 | 176 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,701.1 | Leads: 2,108.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.90 | 3.96 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.16 | 1.36 |
| K/9 | 6.87 | Leads: 8.23 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.60 | 4.17 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rollie Fingers leads Tom Gordon 33,082 to 29,014 — driven by per-season impact — 1,946 PIV per season to 1,319 — rather than by longevity, since Rollie Fingers played 17 seasons to Tom Gordon's 22. 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).
Rollie Fingers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tom Gordon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Gordon leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Rollie Fingers owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Gordon. Note that PIV actually grades Rollie Fingers ahead, which means Tom Gordon's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rollie Fingers and Tom Gordon careers compare
No season is shared: Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985, Tom Gordon 1988–2009. With 944 games against 890 across 17 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Rollie Fingers struck out 6.87 and walked 2.60 per nine innings; Tom Gordon struck out 8.23 and walked 4.17. Rollie Fingers worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 944 games, 341 saves), while Tom Gordon split time between starting and relief (203 starts in 890 games). In WHIP, Rollie Fingers's 1.16 beats Tom Gordon's 1.36. On the peak-season lists, Rollie Fingers's best year is 1973 at 1.92 ERA and Tom Gordon's is 1993 at 3.58 ERA; Rollie Fingers has the stronger single season.
Rollie Fingers vs Tom Gordon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rollie Fingers or Tom Gordon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Gordon leads Rollie Fingers in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rollie Fingers, with 2.90 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Rollie Fingers's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Rollie Fingers's 1,299.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rollie Fingers, with 1.16 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.