Rollie Fingers vs Mariano Rivera: Career Stats Comparison
Rollie Fingers 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). Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985 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
Rollie Fingers (1968–1985) and Mariano Rivera (1995–2013) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rollie Fingers finished with 114 wins and 1,299 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 Rollie Fingers's 2.90.
- Who won more games? Rollie Fingers, with 114 to Mariano Rivera's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rollie Fingers, with 1,299 to Mariano Rivera's 1,173.
- Who had the better WHIP? Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Rollie Fingers's 1.16.
- Who pitched more innings? Rollie Fingers, with 1,701.1 to Mariano Rivera's 1,283.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rollie Fingers, with 2 to Mariano Rivera's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mariano Rivera, with 52,571 career Pitcher PIV to Rollie Fingers's 33,082.
Rollie Fingers
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 1960s and the 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rollie Fingers | Mariano Rivera |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 114 | 82 |
| Losses not scored | 118 | 60 |
| Games | 944 | Leads: 1,115 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 10 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Saves | 341 | Leads: 652 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,299 | 1,173 |
| Walks not scored | 492 | 286 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,474 | 998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 123 | 71 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,701.1 | 1,283.2 |
| ERA | 2.90 | Leads: 2.21 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 6.87 | Leads: 8.22 |
| BB/9 | 2.60 | Leads: 2.01 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mariano Rivera outpaces Rollie Fingers 52,571 to 33,082 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,767 PIV per season to 1,946, across 19 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).
Rollie Fingers — 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 Rollie Fingers 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 Rollie Fingers and Mariano Rivera careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Rollie Fingers's ended in 1985, and Mariano Rivera debuted in 1995. With 944 games against 1,115 across 17 and 19 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; Mariano Rivera struck out 8.22 and walked 2.01. Both had the same role: Rollie Fingers worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 944 games, 341 saves); Mariano Rivera worked mostly in relief (10 starts in 1,115 games, 652 saves). In WHIP, Mariano Rivera's 1.00 beats Rollie Fingers's 1.16. Mariano Rivera has no qualifying season for the peak list, while Rollie Fingers's best is 1973.
Rollie Fingers vs Mariano Rivera: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Mariano Rivera, with 2.21 to Rollie Fingers's 2.90.
- Who won more games?
- Rollie Fingers, with 114 to Mariano Rivera's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rollie Fingers, with 1,299 to Mariano Rivera's 1,173.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Mariano Rivera, with 1.00 to Rollie Fingers's 1.16.