Tom Gordon vs Francisco Rodriguez: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon and Francisco Rodriguez are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Gordon played 1988–2009 as a pitcher; Francisco Rodriguez played 2002–2017 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 Francisco Rodriguez (2002–2017) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Gordon finished with 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts; Francisco Rodriguez finished with 52 wins and 1,142 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Francisco Rodriguez, with 2.86 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Francisco Rodriguez's 52.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Francisco Rodriguez's 1,142.
- Who had the better WHIP? Francisco Rodriguez, with 1.15 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108.0 to Francisco Rodriguez's 976.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Francisco Rodriguez's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Gordon, with 29,014 career Pitcher PIV to Francisco Rodriguez's 21,669.
Tom Gordon
Francisco Rodriguez
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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Gordon | Francisco Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 52 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 53 |
| Games | 890 | Leads: 948 |
| Games Started | Leads: 203 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 158 | Leads: 437 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,928 | 1,142 |
| Walks not scored | 977 | 389 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,889 | 738 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 176 | 98 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,108.0 | 976.0 |
| ERA | 3.96 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | Leads: 1.15 |
| K/9 | 8.23 | Leads: 10.53 |
| BB/9 | 4.17 | Leads: 3.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Gordon outpaces Francisco Rodriguez 29,014 to 21,669 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,319 PIV per season to 1,204, 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)
Francisco Rodriguez
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 Francisco Rodriguez 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 Francisco Rodriguez careers compare
From 2002 through 2009, Tom Gordon and Francisco Rodriguez were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 890 games for Tom Gordon and 948 for Francisco Rodriguez across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Tom Gordon struck out 8.23 and walked 4.17 per nine innings; Francisco Rodriguez struck out 10.53 and walked 3.59. Their roles differ: Tom Gordon split time between starting and relief (203 starts in 890 games); Francisco Rodriguez worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 948 games, 437 saves). In WHIP, Francisco Rodriguez's 1.15 beats Tom Gordon's 1.36.
Tom Gordon vs Francisco Rodriguez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 2.86 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Francisco Rodriguez's 52.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Francisco Rodriguez's 1,142.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Francisco Rodriguez, with 1.15 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.