Ron Guidry vs Rick Reuschel: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Reuschel 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). Ron Guidry played 1975–1988 as a pitcher; Rick Reuschel played 1972–1991 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 Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Ron Guidry finished with 170 wins and 1,778 strikeouts; Rick Reuschel finished with 214 wins and 2,015 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 Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games? Rick Reuschel, with 214 to Ron Guidry's 170.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rick Reuschel, with 2,015 to Ron Guidry's 1,778.
- Who had the better WHIP? Ron Guidry, with 1.18 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Rick Reuschel, with 3,548.1 to Ron Guidry's 2,392.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rick Reuschel, with 52,650 career Pitcher PIV to Ron Guidry's 37,878.
Ron Guidry
Rick Reuschel
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 | Ron Guidry | Rick Reuschel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 170 | Leads: 214 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 191 |
| Games | 368 | Leads: 557 |
| Games Started | 323 | Leads: 529 |
| Complete Games | 95 | Leads: 102 |
| Shutouts | 26 | 26 |
| Saves | 4 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,778 | Leads: 2,015 |
| Walks not scored | 633 | 935 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,198 | 3,588 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 226 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,392.0 | Leads: 3,548.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.29 | 3.37 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.69 | 5.11 |
| BB/9 | 2.38 | Leads: 2.37 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Reuschel outpaces Ron Guidry 52,650 to 37,878 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Rick Reuschel played 21 seasons to Ron Guidry's 14, while Ron Guidry carries the higher per-season figure (2,706 to 2,507). 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)
Rick Reuschel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rick Reuschel leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Ron Guidry owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rick Reuschel. PIV agrees: Rick Reuschel 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 Rick Reuschel careers compare
The careers of Ron Guidry (1975–1988) and Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) overlapped from 1975 to 1988, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Rick Reuschel has the far longer record, 557 games against 368 across 14 and 21 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Ron Guidry's edges on the table are ERA (3.29 to 3.37), WHIP (1.18 to 1.27), and strikeouts per nine (6.69 to 5.11). By rate, Ron Guidry struck out 6.69 and walked 2.38 per nine innings; Rick Reuschel struck out 5.11 and walked 2.37.
Ron Guidry vs Rick Reuschel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ron Guidry or Rick Reuschel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Reuschel leads Ron Guidry in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ron Guidry, with 3.29 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games?
- Rick Reuschel, with 214 to Ron Guidry's 170.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rick Reuschel, with 2,015 to Ron Guidry's 1,778.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Ron Guidry, with 1.18 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.