Tom Henke vs Dave Righetti: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Righetti 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). Tom Henke played 1982–1995 as a pitcher; Dave Righetti played 1979–1995 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
Tom Henke (1982–1995) and Dave Righetti (1979–1995) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Henke finished with 41 wins and 861 strikeouts; Dave Righetti finished with 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Henke, with 2.67 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Dave Righetti, with 82 to Tom Henke's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to Tom Henke's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Henke, with 1.09 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Dave Righetti, with 1,403.2 to Tom Henke's 789.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dave Righetti, with 2 to Tom Henke's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Tom Henke, with 25,520 career Pitcher PIV to Dave Righetti's 20,202.
Dave Righetti
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 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Henke | Dave Righetti |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 41 | Leads: 82 |
| Losses not scored | 42 | 79 |
| Games | 642 | Leads: 718 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 89 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 13 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 2 |
| Saves | Leads: 311 | 252 |
| Strikeouts | 861 | Leads: 1,112 |
| Walks not scored | 255 | 591 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 607 | 1,287 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 64 | 95 |
| Innings Pitched | 789.2 | Leads: 1,403.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.67 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.81 | 7.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.91 | 3.79 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Henke leads Dave Righetti 25,520 to 20,202 — driven by per-season impact — 1,823 PIV per season to 1,188 — rather than by longevity, since Tom Henke played 14 seasons to Dave Righetti's 17. 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).
Tom Henke
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Dave Righetti — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Tom Henke leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Dave Righetti owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Henke. PIV agrees: Tom Henke grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Henke and Dave Righetti careers compare
Tom Henke and Dave Righetti were active at the same time between 1982 and 1995. With 642 games against 718 across 14 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Tom Henke struck out 9.81 and walked 2.91 per nine innings; Dave Righetti struck out 7.13 and walked 3.79. Both had the same role: Tom Henke worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 642 games, 311 saves); Dave Righetti worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 718 games, 252 saves). Tom Henke allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.09 WHIP to Dave Righetti's 1.34. Only Dave Righetti has a season on the peak list; Tom Henke never reached the qualifying workload.
Tom Henke vs Dave Righetti: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Henke or Dave Righetti?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Righetti leads Tom Henke in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Henke, with 2.67 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Dave Righetti, with 82 to Tom Henke's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to Tom Henke's 861.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Henke, with 1.09 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.