Roy Halladay vs Orel Hershiser: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser 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). Roy Halladay played 1998–2013 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
Roy Halladay (1998–2013) and Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) — breaking in during the 1990s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Roy Halladay finished with 203 wins and 2,117 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? Roy Halladay, with 3.38 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Roy Halladay's 203.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roy Halladay, with 2,117 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roy Halladay, with 1.18 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Orel Hershiser, with 3,130.1 to Roy Halladay's 2,749.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to Roy Halladay's 20.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roy Halladay, with 66,478 career Pitcher PIV to Orel Hershiser's 37,276.
Roy Halladay
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 1990s and the 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Roy Halladay | Orel Hershiser |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 203 | Leads: 204 |
| Losses not scored | 105 | 150 |
| Games | 416 | Leads: 510 |
| Games Started | 390 | Leads: 466 |
| Complete Games | 67 | Leads: 68 |
| Shutouts | 20 | Leads: 25 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,117 | 2,014 |
| Walks not scored | 592 | 1,007 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,646 | 2,939 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 236 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,749.1 | Leads: 3,130.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.38 | 3.48 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.93 | 5.79 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.94 | 2.90 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roy Halladay outpaces Orel Hershiser 66,478 to 37,276 — driven by per-season impact — 4,155 PIV per season to 2,071 — rather than by longevity, since Roy Halladay played 16 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).
Roy Halladay — 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, Roy Halladay leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Orel Hershiser owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roy Halladay. PIV agrees: Roy Halladay grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roy Halladay and Orel Hershiser careers compare
From 1998 through 2000, Roy Halladay and Orel Hershiser were in the majors together. With 416 games against 510 across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 6.93 strikeouts and 1.94 walks for Roy Halladay, 5.79 and 2.90 for Orel Hershiser. Roy Halladay was mainly a starter (390 starts in 416 games), and Orel Hershiser was mainly a starter (466 starts in 510 games). In WHIP, Roy Halladay's 1.18 beats Orel Hershiser's 1.26. On the peak-season lists, Roy Halladay's best year is 2011 at 2.35 ERA and Orel Hershiser's is 1985 at 2.03 ERA; Orel Hershiser has the stronger single season.
Roy Halladay vs Orel Hershiser: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roy Halladay or Orel Hershiser?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orel Hershiser leads Roy Halladay in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roy Halladay, with 3.38 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Roy Halladay's 203.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roy Halladay, with 2,117 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roy Halladay, with 1.18 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.