Ron Guidry vs Bret Saberhagen: Career Stats Comparison
Ron Guidry has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Bret Saberhagen played 1984–2001 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 Bret Saberhagen (1984–2001) — 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; Bret Saberhagen finished with 167 wins and 1,715 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 Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games? Ron Guidry, with 170 to Bret Saberhagen's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Ron Guidry, with 1,778 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP? Bret Saberhagen, with 1.14 to Ron Guidry's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Bret Saberhagen, with 2,562.2 to Ron Guidry's 2,392.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Ron Guidry, with 26 to Bret Saberhagen's 16.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bret Saberhagen, with 53,065 career Pitcher PIV to Ron Guidry's 37,878.
Ron Guidry
Bret Saberhagen
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 | Bret Saberhagen |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 170 | 167 |
| Losses not scored | 91 | 117 |
| Games | 368 | Leads: 399 |
| Games Started | 323 | Leads: 371 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 95 | 76 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 26 | 16 |
| Saves | Leads: 4 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,778 | 1,715 |
| Walks not scored | 633 | 471 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,198 | 2,452 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 226 | 218 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,392.0 | Leads: 2,562.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.29 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.18 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.69 | 6.02 |
| BB/9 | 2.38 | Leads: 1.65 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bret Saberhagen outpaces Ron Guidry 53,065 to 37,878 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,122 PIV per season to 2,706, across 17 seasons to 14. 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)
Bret Saberhagen — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Ron Guidry leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Bret Saberhagen owns WHIP and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Ron Guidry. Note that PIV actually grades Bret Saberhagen ahead, which means Ron Guidry's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Ron Guidry and Bret Saberhagen careers compare
Ron Guidry and Bret Saberhagen were active at the same time between 1984 and 1988. With 368 games against 399 across 14 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Ron Guidry struck out 6.69 and walked 2.38 per nine innings; Bret Saberhagen struck out 6.02 and walked 1.65. Both had the same role: Ron Guidry was mainly a starter (323 starts in 368 games); Bret Saberhagen was mainly a starter (371 starts in 399 games). Bret Saberhagen allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.14 WHIP to Ron Guidry's 1.18.
Ron Guidry vs Bret Saberhagen: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Ron Guidry or Bret Saberhagen?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Ron Guidry leads Bret Saberhagen in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Ron Guidry, with 3.29 to Bret Saberhagen's 3.34.
- Who won more games?
- Ron Guidry, with 170 to Bret Saberhagen's 167.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Ron Guidry, with 1,778 to Bret Saberhagen's 1,715.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Bret Saberhagen, with 1.14 to Ron Guidry's 1.18.