Tom Gordon vs Scott Williamson: 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; Scott Williamson played 1999–2007 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 Scott Williamson (1999–2007) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Gordon finished with 138 wins and 1,928 strikeouts; Scott Williamson finished with 28 wins and 510 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Scott Williamson, with 3.36 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Scott Williamson's 28.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Scott Williamson's 510.
- Who had the better WHIP? Scott Williamson, with 1.30 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108.0 to Scott Williamson's 439.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Gordon, with 4 to Scott Williamson's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Gordon, with 29,014 career Pitcher PIV to Scott Williamson's 11,282.
Tom Gordon
Scott Williamson
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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Gordon | Scott Williamson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 28 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 28 |
| Games | Leads: 890 | 344 |
| Games Started | Leads: 203 | 10 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 158 | 55 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,928 | 510 |
| Walks not scored | 977 | 244 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,889 | 326 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 176 | 35 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,108.0 | 439.1 |
| ERA | 3.96 | Leads: 3.36 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | Leads: 1.30 |
| K/9 | 8.23 | Leads: 10.45 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 4.17 | 5.00 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Gordon outpaces Scott Williamson 29,014 to 11,282 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,319 PIV per season to 1,026, across 22 seasons to 11. 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)
Scott Williamson
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 Scott Williamson 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 Scott Williamson careers compare
The careers of Tom Gordon (1988–2009) and Scott Williamson (1999–2007) overlapped from 1999 to 2007, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 890 games of Tom Gordon with 344 of Scott Williamson across 22 and 11 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Scott Williamson are ERA (3.36 to 3.96), WHIP (1.30 to 1.36), and strikeouts per nine (10.45 to 8.23). By rate, Tom Gordon struck out 8.23 and walked 4.17 per nine innings; Scott Williamson struck out 10.45 and walked 5.00.
Tom Gordon vs Scott Williamson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Gordon or Scott Williamson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Gordon leads Scott Williamson in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Scott Williamson, with 3.36 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Scott Williamson's 28.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Scott Williamson's 510.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Scott Williamson, with 1.30 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.