Rich Gossage vs Jeff Reardon: 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; Jeff Reardon played 1979–1994 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 Jeff Reardon (1979–1994) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rich Gossage finished with 124 wins and 1,502 strikeouts; Jeff Reardon finished with 73 wins and 877 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 Jeff Reardon's 3.16.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Jeff Reardon's 73.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Jeff Reardon's 877.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jeff Reardon, with 1.20 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.
- Who pitched more innings? Rich Gossage, with 1,809.1 to Jeff Reardon's 1,132.1.
- 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 Jeff Reardon's 11,952.
Rich Gossage
Jeff Reardon
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 | Jeff Reardon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 124 | 73 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 77 |
| Games | Leads: 1,002 | 880 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 16 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 310 | Leads: 367 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,502 | 877 |
| Walks not scored | 732 | 358 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,497 | 1,000 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 119 | 109 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,809.1 | 1,132.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.16 |
| WHIP | 1.23 | Leads: 1.20 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.47 | 6.97 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 2.85 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rich Gossage outpaces Jeff Reardon 28,157 to 11,952 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,224 PIV per season to 664, across 23 seasons to 18. 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)
Jeff Reardon
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 K/9, while Jeff Reardon owns 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 Jeff Reardon careers compare
From 1979 through 1994, Rich Gossage and Jeff Reardon were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 1,002 games for Rich Gossage and 880 for Jeff Reardon across 23 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jeff Reardon comes out ahead, it is in saves (367 to 310), WHIP (1.20 to 1.23), and walks per nine (2.85 to 3.64). By rate, Rich Gossage struck out 7.47 and walked 3.64 per nine innings; Jeff Reardon struck out 6.97 and walked 2.85.
Rich Gossage vs Jeff Reardon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rich Gossage or Jeff Reardon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rich Gossage leads Jeff Reardon in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Jeff Reardon's 3.16.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Jeff Reardon's 73.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rich Gossage, with 1,502 to Jeff Reardon's 877.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jeff Reardon, with 1.20 to Rich Gossage's 1.23.