Rich Gossage vs Trevor Hoffman: Career Stats Comparison
Trevor Hoffman has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Trevor Hoffman played 1993–2010 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 Trevor Hoffman (1993–2010) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rich Gossage finished with 124 wins and 1,502 strikeouts; Trevor Hoffman finished with 61 wins and 1,133 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Trevor Hoffman, with 2.87 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Trevor Hoffman's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,133.
- Who had the better WHIP? Trevor Hoffman, with 1.06 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Rich Gossage, with 1,809.1 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,089.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Trevor Hoffman, with 37,065 career Pitcher PIV to Rich Gossage's 28,157.
Rich Gossage
Trevor Hoffman
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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rich Gossage | Trevor Hoffman |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 124 | 61 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 75 |
| Games | 1,002 | Leads: 1,035 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 310 | Leads: 601 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,502 | 1,133 |
| Walks not scored | 732 | 307 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,497 | 846 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 119 | 100 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,809.1 | 1,089.1 |
| ERA | 3.01 | Leads: 2.87 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.06 |
| K/9 | 7.47 | Leads: 9.36 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 2.54 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Trevor Hoffman leads Rich Gossage 37,065 to 28,157 — driven by per-season impact — 1,951 PIV per season to 1,224 — rather than by longevity, since Trevor Hoffman played 19 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)
Trevor Hoffman
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Trevor Hoffman leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Rich Gossage owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Trevor Hoffman. PIV agrees: Trevor Hoffman 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 Trevor Hoffman careers compare
The careers of Rich Gossage (1972–1994) and Trevor Hoffman (1993–2010) overlapped from 1993 to 1994, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,002 games against 1,035 across 23 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 7.47 strikeouts and 3.64 walks for Rich Gossage, 9.36 and 2.54 for Trevor Hoffman. Rich Gossage worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 1,002 games, 310 saves), and Trevor Hoffman worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 1,035 games, 601 saves). In WHIP, Trevor Hoffman's 1.06 beats Rich Gossage's 1.23. Only Rich Gossage has a season on the peak list; Trevor Hoffman never reached the qualifying workload.
Rich Gossage vs Trevor Hoffman: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Trevor Hoffman?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Trevor Hoffman leads Rich Gossage in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 2.87 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Trevor Hoffman's 61.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Trevor Hoffman's 1,133.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Trevor Hoffman, with 1.06 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.