Tom Gordon vs Kerry Wood: 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; Kerry Wood played 1998–2012 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 Kerry Wood (1998–2012) — 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; Kerry Wood finished with 86 wins and 1,582 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Kerry Wood, with 3.67 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games? Tom Gordon, with 138 to Kerry Wood's 86.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Kerry Wood's 1,582.
- Who had the better WHIP? Kerry Wood, with 1.27 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Gordon, with 2,108.0 to Kerry Wood's 1,380.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Kerry Wood, with 5 to Tom Gordon's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Gordon, with 29,014 career Pitcher PIV to Kerry Wood's 20,852.
Tom Gordon
Kerry Wood
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 | Kerry Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 138 | 86 |
| Losses not scored | 126 | 75 |
| Games | Leads: 890 | 446 |
| Games Started | Leads: 203 | 178 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 11 |
| Shutouts | 4 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 158 | 63 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,928 | 1,582 |
| Walks not scored | 977 | 666 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,889 | 1,083 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 176 | 148 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,108.0 | 1,380.0 |
| ERA | 3.96 | Leads: 3.67 |
| WHIP | 1.36 | Leads: 1.27 |
| K/9 | 8.23 | Leads: 10.32 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 4.17 | 4.34 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Gordon outpaces Kerry Wood 29,014 to 20,852 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Tom Gordon played 22 seasons to Kerry Wood's 15, while Kerry Wood carries the higher per-season figure (1,390 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)
Kerry Wood — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Gordon leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Kerry Wood 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 Kerry Wood careers compare
From 1998 through 2009, Tom Gordon and Kerry Wood were in the majors together. The table compares 890 games of Tom Gordon with 446 of Kerry Wood across 22 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Kerry Wood comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (5 to 4), ERA (3.67 to 3.96), and WHIP (1.27 to 1.36). By rate, Tom Gordon struck out 8.23 and walked 4.17 per nine innings; Kerry Wood struck out 10.32 and walked 4.34. Tom Gordon split time between starting and relief (203 starts in 890 games), and Kerry Wood split time between starting and relief (178 starts in 446 games).
Tom Gordon vs Kerry Wood: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Gordon or Kerry Wood?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Gordon leads Kerry Wood in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Kerry Wood, with 3.67 to Tom Gordon's 3.96.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Gordon, with 138 to Kerry Wood's 86.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Gordon, with 1,928 to Kerry Wood's 1,582.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Kerry Wood, with 1.27 to Tom Gordon's 1.36.