Orel Hershiser vs Jay Howell: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) and Jay Howell (1980–1994) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Orel Hershiser compiled 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; Jay Howell put up 58 wins and 666 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Orel Hershiser | Jay Howell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 204 | 58 |
| Losses | 150 | 53 |
| Games | 510 | 568 |
| Games Started | 466 | 21 |
| Complete Games | 68 | 2 |
| Shutouts | 25 | 0 |
| Saves | 5 | 155 |
| Strikeouts | 2,014 | 666 |
| Walks | 1,007 | 291 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,939 | 782 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 235 | 57 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,130 | 844 |
| ERA | 3.48 | 3.34 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | 7.10 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | 3.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orel Hershiser outpaces Jay Howell 37,276 to 15,213 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,071 vs 1,014 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Orel Hershiser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jay Howell — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Orel Hershiser leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Jay Howell owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Orel Hershiser. PIV agrees: Orel Hershiser grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.