Tom Gordon vs Billy Wagner: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Tom Gordon played 1988–2009 as a pitcher; Billy Wagner played 1995–2010 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 Billy Wagner (1995–2010) — 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; Billy Wagner put up 47 wins and 1,196 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Billy Wagner's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Billy Wagner's 1,196.
- Who had the better WHIP? Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108 to Billy Wagner's 903.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Billy Wagner's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Billy Wagner, with 38,470 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Gordon's 29,014.
Tom Gordon
Billy Wagner
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 | Billy Wagner |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 47 |
| Losses | 126 | 40 |
| Games | Leads: 890 | 853 |
| Games Started | Leads: 203 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 158 | Leads: 422 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,928 | 1,196 |
| Walks | 977 | 300 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,889 | 601 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 176 | 82 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,108 | 903 |
| ERA | 3.96 | Leads: 2.31 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | Leads: 1.00 |
| K/9 | 8.23 | Leads: 11.92 |
| BB/9 | 4.17 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Billy Wagner leads Tom Gordon 38,470 to 29,014 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,263 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)
Billy Wagner
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Billy Wagner 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 Billy Wagner. PIV agrees: Billy Wagner grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Tom Gordon vs Billy Wagner: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Gordon or Billy Wagner?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Gordon leads Billy Wagner in 7 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Billy Wagner, with 2.31 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Billy Wagner's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Billy Wagner's 1,196.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Billy Wagner, with 1.00 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.