Ron Guidry vs Orel Hershiser: Career Stats Comparison
Ron Guidry and Orel Hershiser are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Ron Guidry played 1975–1988 as a pitcher; Orel Hershiser played 1983–2000 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
Ron Guidry (1975–1988) and Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Ron Guidry finished with 170 wins and 1,778 strikeouts; Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Ron Guidry, with 3.29 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Ron Guidry's 170.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Ron Guidry's 1,778.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ron Guidry, with 1.18 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Orel Hershiser, with 3,130.1 to Ron Guidry's 2,392.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ron Guidry, with 26 to Orel Hershiser's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Ron Guidry, with 37,878 career Pitcher PIV to Orel Hershiser's 37,276.
Ron Guidry
Orel Hershiser
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 | Ron Guidry | Orel Hershiser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 170 | Leads: 204 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 150 |
| Games | 368 | Leads: 510 |
| Games Started | 323 | Leads: 466 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 95 | 68 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 26 | 25 |
| Saves | 4 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,778 | Leads: 2,014 |
| Walks not scored | 633 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,198 | 2,939 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 226 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,392.0 | Leads: 3,130.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.29 | 3.48 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.69 | 5.79 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.38 | 2.90 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Ron Guidry edges Orel Hershiser 37,878 to 37,276 — driven by per-season impact — 2,706 PIV per season to 2,071 — rather than by longevity, since Ron Guidry played 14 seasons to Orel Hershiser's 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).
Ron Guidry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Orel Hershiser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ron Guidry leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Orel Hershiser owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ron Guidry. PIV agrees: Ron Guidry grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ron Guidry and Orel Hershiser careers compare
Ron Guidry and Orel Hershiser were active at the same time between 1983 and 1988. With 368 games against 510 across 14 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 6.69 strikeouts and 2.38 walks for Ron Guidry, 5.79 and 2.90 for Orel Hershiser. Ron Guidry was mainly a starter (323 starts in 368 games), and Orel Hershiser was mainly a starter (466 starts in 510 games). In WHIP, Ron Guidry's 1.18 beats Orel Hershiser's 1.26. Ron Guidry owns the better peak by ERA: 1.74 ERA in 1978 for Ron Guidry against 2.03 ERA in 1985 for Orel Hershiser.
Ron Guidry vs Orel Hershiser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ron Guidry, with 3.29 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Ron Guidry's 170.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Ron Guidry's 1,778.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ron Guidry, with 1.18 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.