John Franco vs Dave Righetti: Career Stats Comparison
John Franco and Dave Righetti are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). John Franco played 1984–2005 as a pitcher; Dave Righetti played 1979–1995 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
John Franco (1984–2005) and Dave Righetti (1979–1995) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. John Franco finished with 90 wins and 975 strikeouts; Dave Righetti finished with 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? John Franco, with 2.89 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games? John Franco, with 90 to Dave Righetti's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to John Franco's 975.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Franco, with 1.33 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Dave Righetti, with 1,403.2 to John Franco's 1,245.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dave Righetti, with 2 to John Franco's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Franco, with 22,498 career Pitcher PIV to Dave Righetti's 20,202.
John Franco
Dave Righetti
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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | John Franco | Dave Righetti |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 90 | 82 |
| Losses not scored | 87 | 79 |
| Games | Leads: 1,119 | 718 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 89 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 13 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 2 |
| Saves | Leads: 424 | 252 |
| Strikeouts | 975 | Leads: 1,112 |
| Walks not scored | 495 | 591 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,166 | 1,287 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 81 | 95 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,245.2 | Leads: 1,403.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.89 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.33 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | 7.04 | Leads: 7.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.58 | 3.79 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Franco leads Dave Righetti 22,498 to 20,202 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John Franco played 21 seasons to Dave Righetti's 17, while Dave Righetti carries the higher per-season figure (1,188 to 1,071). 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).
John Franco
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Dave Righetti — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Franco leads in wins, ERA, and WHIP, while Dave Righetti owns strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Franco. PIV agrees: John Franco grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the John Franco and Dave Righetti careers compare
John Franco and Dave Righetti were active at the same time between 1984 and 1995. The table compares 1,119 games of John Franco with 718 of Dave Righetti across 21 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, John Franco struck out 7.04 and walked 3.58 per nine innings; Dave Righetti struck out 7.13 and walked 3.79. John Franco worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 1,119 games, 424 saves), and Dave Righetti worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 718 games, 252 saves). In WHIP, John Franco's 1.33 beats Dave Righetti's 1.34. Only Dave Righetti has a season on the peak list; John Franco never reached the qualifying workload.
John Franco vs Dave Righetti: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Franco, with 2.89 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- John Franco, with 90 to Dave Righetti's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to John Franco's 975.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Franco, with 1.33 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.