Rich Gossage vs Greg Swindell: Career Stats Comparison
Rich Gossage and Greg Swindell are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rich Gossage played 1972–1994 as a pitcher; Greg Swindell played 1986–2002 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 Greg Swindell (1986–2002) — 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; Greg Swindell finished with 123 wins and 1,542 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 Greg Swindell's 3.86.
- Who won more games? Rich Gossage, with 124 to Greg Swindell's 123.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Swindell, with 1,542 to Rich Gossage's 1,502.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rich Gossage, with 1.23 to Greg Swindell's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Swindell, with 2,233.1 to Rich Gossage's 1,809.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Swindell, with 12 to Rich Gossage's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rich Gossage, with 28,157 career Pitcher PIV to Greg Swindell's 19,548.
Rich Gossage
Greg Swindell
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 | Greg Swindell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 124 | 123 |
| Losses not scored | 107 | 122 |
| Games | Leads: 1,002 | 664 |
| Games Started | 37 | Leads: 269 |
| Complete Games | 16 | Leads: 40 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | Leads: 310 | 7 |
| Strikeouts | 1,502 | Leads: 1,542 |
| Walks not scored | 732 | 501 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,497 | 2,313 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 119 | 262 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,809.1 | Leads: 2,233.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.01 | 3.86 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.47 | 6.21 |
| BB/9 | 3.64 | Leads: 2.02 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rich Gossage outpaces Greg Swindell 28,157 to 19,548 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,224 PIV per season to 1,029, across 23 seasons to 19. 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)
Greg Swindell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rich Gossage leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Greg Swindell owns strikeouts and innings pitched. 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 Greg Swindell careers compare
From 1986 through 1994, Rich Gossage and Greg Swindell were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Rich Gossage appeared in 1,002 games to Greg Swindell's 664. By rate, Rich Gossage struck out 7.47 and walked 3.64 per nine innings; Greg Swindell struck out 6.21 and walked 2.02. Their roles differ: Rich Gossage worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 1,002 games, 310 saves); Greg Swindell split time between starting and relief (269 starts in 664 games). In WHIP, Rich Gossage's 1.23 beats Greg Swindell's 1.26.
Rich Gossage vs Greg Swindell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rich Gossage, with 3.01 to Greg Swindell's 3.86.
- Who won more games?
- Rich Gossage, with 124 to Greg Swindell's 123.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Swindell, with 1,542 to Rich Gossage's 1,502.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rich Gossage, with 1.23 to Greg Swindell's 1.26.