Dwight Gooden vs Orel Hershiser: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dwight Gooden played 1984–2000 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
Dwight Gooden (1984–2000) and Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Dwight Gooden finished with 194 wins and 2,293 strikeouts; Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to Dwight Gooden's 3.51.
- Who won more games? Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Dwight Gooden's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dwight Gooden, with 2,293 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Orel Hershiser, with 3,130.1 to Dwight Gooden's 2,800.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to Dwight Gooden's 24.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dwight Gooden, with 55,535 career Pitcher PIV to Orel Hershiser's 37,276.
Dwight Gooden
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. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dwight Gooden | Orel Hershiser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 194 | Leads: 204 |
| Losses not scored | 112 | 150 |
| Games | 430 | Leads: 510 |
| Games Started | 410 | Leads: 466 |
| Complete Games | 68 | 68 |
| Shutouts | 24 | Leads: 25 |
| Saves | 3 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,293 | 2,014 |
| Walks not scored | 954 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,564 | 2,939 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 210 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,800.2 | Leads: 3,130.1 |
| ERA | 3.51 | Leads: 3.48 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.37 | 5.79 |
| BB/9 | 3.07 | Leads: 2.90 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dwight Gooden outpaces Orel Hershiser 55,535 to 37,276 — driven by per-season impact — 3,085 PIV per season to 2,071 — rather than by longevity, since Dwight Gooden played 18 seasons to Orel Hershiser's 18. 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).
Dwight Gooden — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Orel Hershiser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dwight Gooden leads in strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Orel Hershiser owns wins, ERA, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dwight Gooden. PIV agrees: Dwight Gooden grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dwight Gooden and Orel Hershiser careers compare
Dwight Gooden and Orel Hershiser were active at the same time between 1984 and 2000. With 430 games against 510 across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Dwight Gooden are strikeouts (2,293 to 2,014), WHIP (1.26 to 1.26), and strikeouts per nine (7.37 to 5.79). By rate, Dwight Gooden struck out 7.37 and walked 3.07 per nine innings; Orel Hershiser struck out 5.79 and walked 2.90. Both had the same role: Dwight Gooden was mainly a starter (410 starts in 430 games); Orel Hershiser was mainly a starter (466 starts in 510 games).
Dwight Gooden vs Orel Hershiser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dwight Gooden or Orel Hershiser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orel Hershiser leads Dwight Gooden in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to Dwight Gooden's 3.51.
- Who won more games?
- Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Dwight Gooden's 194.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dwight Gooden, with 2,293 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.26.