Orel Hershiser vs Jay Howell: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser 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). Orel Hershiser played 1983–2000 as a pitcher; Jay Howell played 1980–1994 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
Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) and Jay Howell (1980–1994) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; Jay Howell finished with 58 wins and 666 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jay Howell, with 3.34 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Jay Howell's 58.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Jay Howell's 666.
- Who had the better WHIP? Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to Jay Howell's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Orel Hershiser, with 3,130.1 to Jay Howell's 844.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to Jay Howell's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Orel Hershiser, with 37,276 career Pitcher PIV to Jay Howell's 15,213.
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Orel Hershiser | Jay Howell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 204 | 58 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 53 |
| Games | 510 | Leads: 568 |
| Games Started | Leads: 466 | 21 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 68 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 0 |
| Saves | 5 | Leads: 155 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,014 | 666 |
| Walks not scored | 1,007 | 291 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 782 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 57 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,130.1 | 844.2 |
| ERA | 3.48 | Leads: 3.34 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | Leads: 7.10 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.90 | 3.10 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orel Hershiser outpaces Jay Howell 37,276 to 15,213 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,071 PIV per season to 1,014, across 18 seasons to 15. 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).
Orel Hershiser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jay Howell
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
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.
Related Matchups
How the Orel Hershiser and Jay Howell careers compare
The careers of Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) and Jay Howell (1980–1994) overlapped from 1983 to 1994, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 510 games for Orel Hershiser and 568 for Jay Howell across 18 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jay Howell's edges on the table are games (568 to 510), saves (155 to 5), and ERA (3.34 to 3.48). By rate, Orel Hershiser struck out 5.79 and walked 2.90 per nine innings; Jay Howell struck out 7.10 and walked 3.10.
Orel Hershiser vs Jay Howell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orel Hershiser or Jay Howell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orel Hershiser leads Jay Howell in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jay Howell, with 3.34 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Jay Howell's 58.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Jay Howell's 666.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to Jay Howell's 1.27.