Rich Gossage vs Jay Howell: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Jay Howell played 1980–1994 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 Jay Howell (1980–1994) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rich Gossage finished with 124 wins and 1,502 strikeouts; Jay Howell finished with 58 wins and 666 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 Jay Howell's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Jay Howell's 58.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Jay Howell's 666.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rich Gossage, with 1.23 to Jay Howell's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Rich Gossage, with 1,809.1 to Jay Howell's 844.2.
- 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 Jay Howell's 15,213.
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rich Gossage | Jay Howell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 124 | 58 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 53 |
| Games | Leads: 1,002 | 568 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 21 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 2 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 310 | 155 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,502 | 666 |
| Walks not scored | 732 | 291 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,497 | 782 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 119 | 57 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,809.1 | 844.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.47 | 7.10 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 3.10 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rich Gossage outpaces Jay Howell 28,157 to 15,213 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,224 PIV per season to 1,014, across 23 seasons to 15. 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)
Jay Howell
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, ERA, and WHIP, while Jay Howell owns no headline categories. 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 Jay Howell careers compare
Rich Gossage and Jay Howell were active at the same time between 1980 and 1994. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Rich Gossage appeared in 1,002 games to Jay Howell's 568. Jay Howell's edges on the table are walks per nine (3.10 to 3.64). By rate, Rich Gossage struck out 7.47 and walked 3.64 per nine innings; Jay Howell struck out 7.10 and walked 3.10. Both had the same role: Rich Gossage worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 1,002 games, 310 saves); Jay Howell worked mostly in relief (21 starts in 568 games, 155 saves). In WHIP, Rich Gossage's 1.23 beats Jay Howell's 1.27.
Rich Gossage vs Jay Howell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Jay Howell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rich Gossage leads Jay Howell in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Jay Howell's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Jay Howell's 58.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Jay Howell's 666.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rich Gossage, with 1.23 to Jay Howell's 1.27.