Tom Gordon vs Jeff Reardon: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon 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). Tom Gordon played 1988–2009 as a pitcher; Jeff Reardon played 1979–1994 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 Jeff Reardon (1979–1994) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Gordon finished with 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts; Jeff Reardon finished with 73 wins and 877 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jeff Reardon, with 3.16 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Jeff Reardon's 73.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Jeff Reardon's 877.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jeff Reardon, with 1.20 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108.0 to Jeff Reardon's 1,132.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Jeff Reardon's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Gordon, with 29,014 career Pitcher PIV to Jeff Reardon's 11,952.
Tom Gordon
Jeff Reardon
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 | Tom Gordon | Jeff Reardon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 73 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 77 |
| Games | Leads: 890 | 880 |
| Games Started | Leads: 203 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 158 | Leads: 367 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,928 | 877 |
| Walks not scored | 977 | 358 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,889 | 1,000 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 176 | 109 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,108.0 | 1,132.1 |
| ERA | 3.96 | Leads: 3.16 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | Leads: 1.20 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.23 | 6.97 |
| BB/9 | 4.17 | Leads: 2.85 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Gordon outpaces Jeff Reardon 29,014 to 11,952 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,319 PIV per season to 664, across 22 seasons to 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).
Tom Gordon — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jeff Reardon
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, K/9, and innings pitched, while Jeff Reardon owns ERA and WHIP. 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 Jeff Reardon careers compare
From 1988 through 1994, Tom Gordon and Jeff Reardon were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 890 games for Tom Gordon and 880 for Jeff Reardon across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jeff Reardon's edges on the table are saves (367 to 158), ERA (3.16 to 3.96), and WHIP (1.20 to 1.36). The per-nine rows read 8.23 strikeouts and 4.17 walks for Tom Gordon, 6.97 and 2.85 for Jeff Reardon. Tom Gordon split time between starting and relief (203 starts in 890 games), while Jeff Reardon worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 880 games, 367 saves).
Tom Gordon vs Jeff Reardon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Gordon or Jeff Reardon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Gordon leads Jeff Reardon in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jeff Reardon, with 3.16 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Jeff Reardon's 73.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Jeff Reardon's 877.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jeff Reardon, with 1.20 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.