Rich Gossage vs Ron Guidry: Career Stats Comparison
Ron Guidry 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). Rich Gossage played 1972–1994 as a pitcher; Ron Guidry played 1975–1988 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
Rich Gossage (1972–1994) and Ron Guidry (1975–1988) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rich Gossage finished with 124 wins and 1,502 strikeouts; Ron Guidry finished with 170 wins and 1,778 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Ron Guidry's 3.29.
- Who won more games? Ron Guidry, with 170 to Rich Gossage's 124.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Ron Guidry, with 1,778 to Rich Gossage's 1,502.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ron Guidry, with 1.18 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Ron Guidry, with 2,392.0 to Rich Gossage's 1,809.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ron Guidry, with 26 to Rich Gossage's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ron Guidry, with 37,878 career Pitcher PIV to Rich Gossage's 28,157.
Rich Gossage
Ron Guidry
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rich Gossage | Ron Guidry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 124 | Leads: 170 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 91 |
| Games | Leads: 1,002 | 368 |
| Games Started | 37 | Leads: 323 |
| Complete Games | 16 | Leads: 95 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 26 |
| Saves | Leads: 310 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | 1,502 | Leads: 1,778 |
| Walks not scored | 732 | 633 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,497 | 2,198 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 119 | 226 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,809.1 | Leads: 2,392.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.29 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.47 | 6.69 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 2.38 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ron Guidry outpaces Rich Gossage 37,878 to 28,157 — driven by per-season impact — 2,706 PIV per season to 1,224 — rather than by longevity, since Ron Guidry played 14 seasons to Rich Gossage's 23. 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).
Rich Gossage — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Ron Guidry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ron Guidry leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Rich Gossage owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ron Guidry. PIV agrees: Ron Guidry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rich Gossage and Ron Guidry careers compare
From 1975 through 1988, Rich Gossage and Ron Guidry were in the majors together. Rich Gossage has the far longer record, 1,002 games against 368 across 23 and 14 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Rich Gossage's edges on the table are games (1,002 to 368), saves (310 to 4), and ERA (3.01 to 3.29). The per-nine rows read 7.47 strikeouts and 3.64 walks for Rich Gossage, 6.69 and 2.38 for Ron Guidry. Rich Gossage worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 1,002 games, 310 saves), while Ron Guidry was mainly a starter (323 starts in 368 games). The complete-game row, 16 against 95, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games.
Rich Gossage vs Ron Guidry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Ron Guidry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ron Guidry leads Rich Gossage in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Ron Guidry's 3.29.
- Who won more games?
- Ron Guidry, with 170 to Rich Gossage's 124.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Ron Guidry, with 1,778 to Rich Gossage's 1,502.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ron Guidry, with 1.18 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.