Willie Foster vs Eppa Rixey: Career Stats Comparison
Willie Foster (?–1938) and Eppa Rixey (1912–1933) — they pitched in different contexts, so adjusted stats matter. Willie Foster compiled 125 wins and 1,062 strikeouts; Eppa Rixey put up 266 wins and 1,350 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Willie Foster
Eppa Rixey
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Willie Foster | Eppa Rixey |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 125 | 266 |
| Losses | 60 | 251 |
| Games | 262 | 692 |
| Games Started | 185 | 552 |
| Complete Games | 142 | 290 |
| Shutouts | 34 | 37 |
| Saves | 14 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | 1,062 | 1,350 |
| Walks | 522 | 1,082 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,397 | 4,633 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 41 | 92 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,665 | 4,494 |
| ERA | 2.66 | 3.15 |
| WHIP | 1.15 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.74 | 2.70 |
| BB/9 | 2.82 | 2.17 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eppa Rixey leads Willie Foster 45,675 to 41,672 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,175 vs 2,193 per year). 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).
Willie Foster — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Eppa Rixey — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eppa Rixey leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Willie Foster owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eppa Rixey. PIV agrees: Eppa Rixey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.