Rich Gossage vs Dan Quisenberry: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage 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; Dan Quisenberry played 1979–1990 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 Dan Quisenberry (1979–1990) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rich Gossage finished with 124 wins and 1,502 strikeouts; Dan Quisenberry finished with 56 wins and 379 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Dan Quisenberry, with 2.76 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Dan Quisenberry's 56.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Dan Quisenberry's 379.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dan Quisenberry, with 1.18 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Rich Gossage, with 1,809.1 to Dan Quisenberry's 1,043.1.
- 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 Dan Quisenberry's 16,859.
Rich Gossage
Dan Quisenberry
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 | Dan Quisenberry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 124 | 56 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 46 |
| Games | Leads: 1,002 | 674 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 310 | 244 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,502 | 379 |
| Walks not scored | 732 | 162 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,497 | 1,064 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 119 | 59 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,809.1 | 1,043.1 |
| ERA | 3.01 | Leads: 2.76 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.47 | 3.27 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 1.40 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rich Gossage outpaces Dan Quisenberry 28,157 to 16,859 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rich Gossage played 23 seasons to Dan Quisenberry's 13, while Dan Quisenberry carries the higher per-season figure (1,297 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)
Dan Quisenberry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rich Gossage leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Dan Quisenberry owns ERA and WHIP. 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 Dan Quisenberry careers compare
The careers of Rich Gossage (1972–1994) and Dan Quisenberry (1979–1990) overlapped from 1979 to 1990, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 1,002 games against 674 across 23 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Dan Quisenberry are ERA (2.76 to 3.01), WHIP (1.18 to 1.23), and walks per nine (1.40 to 3.64). By rate, Rich Gossage struck out 7.47 and walked 3.64 per nine innings; Dan Quisenberry struck out 3.27 and walked 1.40.
Rich Gossage vs Dan Quisenberry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Dan Quisenberry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rich Gossage leads Dan Quisenberry in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Dan Quisenberry, with 2.76 to Rich Gossage's 3.01.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Dan Quisenberry's 56.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Dan Quisenberry's 379.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dan Quisenberry, with 1.18 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.