Rich Gossage vs Josh Hader: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Josh Hader has played 2017–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
Rich Gossage (1972–1994) and Josh Hader (2017–present) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rich Gossage finished with 124 wins and 1,502 strikeouts; Josh Hader has 38 wins and 884 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Josh Hader, with 2.50 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Josh Hader's 38.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Josh Hader's 884.
- Who had the better WHIP? Josh Hader, with 0.92 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Rich Gossage, with 1,809.1 to Josh Hader's 557.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rich Gossage, with 28,157 career Pitcher PIV to Josh Hader's 17,542.
Rich Gossage
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 1970s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Josh Hader is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Rich Gossage | Josh Hader |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 124 | 38 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 33 |
| Games | Leads: 1,002 | 513 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 310 | 253 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,502 | 884 |
| Walks not scored | 732 | 213 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,497 | 301 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 119 | 66 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,809.1 | 557.0 |
| ERA | 3.01 | Leads: 2.50 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 0.92 |
| K/9 | 7.47 | Leads: 14.28 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 3.44 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rich Gossage outpaces Josh Hader 28,157 to 17,542 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rich Gossage played 23 seasons to Josh Hader's 10, while Josh Hader carries the higher per-season figure (1,754 to 1,224). 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)
Josh Hader
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rich Gossage leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Josh Hader owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rich Gossage. PIV agrees: Rich Gossage 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 Josh Hader careers compare
No season is shared: Rich Gossage played 1972–1994, Josh Hader 2017–present. The table compares 1,002 games of Rich Gossage with 513 of Josh Hader across 23 and 10 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Josh Hader's edges on the table are ERA (2.50 to 3.01), WHIP (0.92 to 1.23), and strikeouts per nine (14.28 to 7.47). The per-nine rows read 7.47 strikeouts and 3.64 walks for Rich Gossage, 14.28 and 3.44 for Josh Hader. Rich Gossage worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 1,002 games, 310 saves), and Josh Hader worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 513 games, 253 saves). Josh Hader's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Rich Gossage vs Josh Hader: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Josh Hader?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rich Gossage leads Josh Hader in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Josh Hader, with 2.50 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Josh Hader's 38.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Josh Hader's 884.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Josh Hader, with 0.92 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.