Tom Glavine vs Orel Hershiser: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Orel Hershiser played 1983–2000 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
Tom Glavine (1987–2008) and Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) — both debuted in the 1980s. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Orel Hershiser, in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP? Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- How many innings did each pitch? Tom Glavine 4,413.1, Orel Hershiser 3,130.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 25.
Tom Glavine
Orel Hershiser
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 | Tom Glavine | Orel Hershiser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 204 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 150 |
| Games not scored | 682 | 510 |
| Games Started not scored | 682 | 466 |
| Complete Games | 56 | Leads: 68 |
| Shutouts | 25 | 25 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,607 | 2,014 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 2,939 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,413.1 | 3,130.1 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.48 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 5.79 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.90 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Glavine edges Orel Hershiser 40,421 to 37,276 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tom Glavine played 22 seasons to Orel Hershiser's 18, while Orel Hershiser carries the higher per-season figure (2,071 to 1,837). 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).
Tom Glavine — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Orel Hershiser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Orel Hershiser leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and others. Tom Glavine leads 2: wins and strikeouts. 1 is tied. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Orel Hershiser. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Tom Glavine higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Glavine and Orel Hershiser careers compare
Tom Glavine and Orel Hershiser were active at the same time between 1987 and 2000. With 682 games against 510 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Tom Glavine's edges on the table are wins (305 to 204) and strikeouts (2,607 to 2,014). The per-nine rows read 5.32 strikeouts and 3.06 walks for Tom Glavine, 5.79 and 2.90 for Orel Hershiser. Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games), and Orel Hershiser was mainly a starter (466 starts in 510 games). In WHIP, Orel Hershiser's 1.26 beats Tom Glavine's 1.31.
Tom Glavine vs Orel Hershiser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Orel Hershiser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orel Hershiser leads Tom Glavine in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Glavine, with 2,607 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.