Tom Gordon vs Josh Hader: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Gordon played 1988–2009 as a pitcher; Josh Hader has played 2017–present 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 Gordon (1988–2009) and Josh Hader (2017–present) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Gordon finished with 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts; Josh Hader has 38 wins and 884 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Josh Hader, with 2.50 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Josh Hader's 38.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Josh Hader's 884.
- Who had the better WHIP? Josh Hader, with 0.92 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108.0 to Josh Hader's 557.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Josh Hader's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Gordon, with 29,014 career Pitcher PIV to Josh Hader's 17,542.
Tom Gordon
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Josh Hader is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Tom Gordon | Josh Hader |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 38 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 33 |
| Games | Leads: 890 | 513 |
| Games Started | Leads: 203 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 158 | Leads: 253 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,928 | 884 |
| Walks not scored | 977 | 213 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,889 | 301 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 176 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,108.0 | 557.0 |
| ERA | 3.96 | Leads: 2.50 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | Leads: 0.92 |
| K/9 | 8.23 | Leads: 14.28 |
| BB/9 | 4.17 | Leads: 3.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Gordon outpaces Josh Hader 29,014 to 17,542 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tom Gordon played 22 seasons to Josh Hader's 10, while Josh Hader carries the higher per-season figure (1,754 to 1,319). 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).
Tom Gordon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Josh Hader
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Gordon leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Josh Hader owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Gordon. PIV agrees: Tom Gordon grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Gordon and Josh Hader careers compare
Tom Gordon (1988–2009) was finished before Josh Hader (2017–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 890 games of Tom Gordon with 513 of Josh Hader across 22 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, Tom Gordon struck out 8.23 and walked 4.17 per nine innings; Josh Hader struck out 14.28 and walked 3.44. Their roles differ: Tom Gordon split time between starting and relief (203 starts in 890 games); Josh Hader worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 513 games, 253 saves). Josh Hader allowed fewer baserunners, a 0.92 WHIP to Tom Gordon's 1.36. Because Josh Hader is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Tom Gordon vs Josh Hader: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Gordon or Josh Hader?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Gordon leads Josh Hader in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Josh Hader, with 2.50 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Josh Hader's 38.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Josh Hader's 884.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Josh Hader, with 0.92 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.