Tom Gordon vs Trevor Hoffman: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon and Trevor Hoffman are close to even, splitting the 12 statistical categories compared on this page 6–6. Tom Gordon played 1988–2009 as a pitcher; Trevor Hoffman played 1993–2010 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 Trevor Hoffman (1993–2010) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Gordon compiled 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts; Trevor Hoffman put up 61 wins and 1,133 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Trevor Hoffman, with 2.87 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Trevor Hoffman's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,133.
- Who had the better WHIP? Trevor Hoffman, with 1.06 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,089.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Trevor Hoffman's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Trevor Hoffman, with 37,065 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Gordon's 29,014.
Tom Gordon
Trevor Hoffman
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Tom Gordon | Trevor Hoffman |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 61 |
| Losses | 126 | 75 |
| Games | 890 | Leads: 1,035 |
| Games Started | Leads: 203 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 158 | Leads: 601 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,928 | 1,133 |
| Walks | 977 | 307 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,889 | 846 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 176 | 100 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,108 | 1,089 |
| ERA | 3.96 | Leads: 2.87 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | Leads: 1.06 |
| K/9 | 8.23 | Leads: 9.36 |
| BB/9 | 4.17 | Leads: 2.54 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Trevor Hoffman leads Tom Gordon 37,065 to 29,014 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,951 vs 1,319 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).
Tom Gordon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Trevor Hoffman
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Trevor Hoffman leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tom Gordon owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Trevor Hoffman. PIV agrees: Trevor Hoffman grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Tom Gordon vs Trevor Hoffman: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 2.87 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Trevor Hoffman's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,133.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 1.06 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.