Rich Gossage vs Joe Nathan: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage 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; Joe Nathan played 1999–2016 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 Joe Nathan (1999–2016) — 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; Joe Nathan finished with 64 wins and 976 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Joe Nathan, with 2.87 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Joe Nathan's 64.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Joe Nathan's 976.
- Who had the better WHIP? Joe Nathan, with 1.12 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Rich Gossage, with 1,809.1 to Joe Nathan's 923.1.
- 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 Joe Nathan's 22,319.
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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rich Gossage | Joe Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 124 | 64 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 34 |
| Games | Leads: 1,002 | 787 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 29 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 310 | Leads: 377 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,502 | 976 |
| Walks not scored | 732 | 344 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,497 | 690 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 119 | 84 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,809.1 | 923.1 |
| ERA | 3.01 | Leads: 2.87 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 7.47 | Leads: 9.51 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 3.35 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rich Gossage leads Joe Nathan 28,157 to 22,319 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rich Gossage played 23 seasons to Joe Nathan's 17, while Joe Nathan carries the higher per-season figure (1,313 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)
Joe Nathan
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 Joe Nathan 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 Joe Nathan careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Rich Gossage's ended in 1994, and Joe Nathan debuted in 1999. With 1,002 games against 787 across 23 and 17 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, 9.51 and 3.35 for Joe Nathan. Both had the same role: Rich Gossage worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 1,002 games, 310 saves); Joe Nathan worked mostly in relief (29 starts in 787 games, 377 saves). In WHIP, Joe Nathan's 1.12 beats Rich Gossage's 1.23. Only Rich Gossage has a season on the peak list; Joe Nathan never reached the qualifying workload.
Rich Gossage vs Joe Nathan: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Joe Nathan?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rich Gossage leads Joe Nathan in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Joe Nathan, with 2.87 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Joe Nathan's 64.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Joe Nathan's 976.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Joe Nathan, with 1.12 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.