Tom Gordon vs Devin Williams: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Gordon has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Devin Williams has played 2019–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 Devin Williams (2019–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; Devin Williams has 34 wins and 517 strikeouts through October 6, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Devin Williams, with 2.69 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Devin Williams's 34.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Devin Williams's 517.
- Who had the better WHIP? Devin Williams, with 1.11 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108.0 to Devin Williams's 338.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Devin Williams's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Gordon, with 29,014 career Pitcher PIV to Devin Williams's 13,215.
Tom Gordon
Devin Williams
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.
Devin Williams is still active — his totals below are current through October 6, 2026.
| Statistic | Tom Gordon | Devin Williams |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 34 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 18 |
| Games | Leads: 890 | 352 |
| Games Started | Leads: 203 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 158 | 102 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,928 | 517 |
| Walks not scored | 977 | 158 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,889 | 217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 176 | 23 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,108.0 | 338.1 |
| ERA | 3.96 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | Leads: 1.11 |
| K/9 | 8.23 | Leads: 13.75 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 4.17 | 4.20 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Gordon outpaces Devin Williams 29,014 to 13,215 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tom Gordon played 22 seasons to Devin Williams's 7, while Devin Williams carries the higher per-season figure (1,888 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)
Devin Williams
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 Devin Williams 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 Devin Williams careers compare
Tom Gordon (1988–2009) was finished before Devin Williams (2019–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Tom Gordon appeared in 890 games to Devin Williams's 352. Where Devin Williams comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.69 to 3.96), WHIP (1.11 to 1.36), and strikeouts per nine (13.75 to 8.23). The per-nine rows read 8.23 strikeouts and 4.17 walks for Tom Gordon, 13.75 and 4.20 for Devin Williams. Tom Gordon split time between starting and relief (203 starts in 890 games), while Devin Williams worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 352 games, 102 saves). Devin Williams's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Tom Gordon vs Devin Williams: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Gordon or Devin Williams?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Gordon leads Devin Williams in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Devin Williams, with 2.69 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Devin Williams's 34.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Devin Williams's 517.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Devin Williams, with 1.11 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.