Orel Hershiser vs Jimmy Key: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Jimmy Key played 1984–1998 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 Jimmy Key (1984–1998) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; Jimmy Key finished with 186 wins and 1,538 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to Jimmy Key's 3.51.
- Who won more games? Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Jimmy Key's 186.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Jimmy Key's 1,538.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jimmy Key, with 1.23 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Orel Hershiser, with 3,130.1 to Jimmy Key's 2,591.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to Jimmy Key's 13.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Orel Hershiser, with 37,276 career Pitcher PIV to Jimmy Key's 19,114.
Orel Hershiser
Jimmy Key
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 | Jimmy Key |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 204 | 186 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 117 |
| Games | Leads: 510 | 470 |
| Games Started | Leads: 466 | 389 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 68 | 34 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 13 |
| Saves | 5 | Leads: 10 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,014 | 1,538 |
| Walks not scored | 1,007 | 668 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 2,518 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 254 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,130.1 | 2,591.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.48 | 3.51 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.23 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.79 | 5.34 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orel Hershiser outpaces Jimmy Key 37,276 to 19,114 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,071 PIV per season to 1,274, 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)
Jimmy Key — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Orel Hershiser leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Jimmy Key owns WHIP. 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 Jimmy Key careers compare
The careers of Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) and Jimmy Key (1984–1998) overlapped from 1984 to 1998, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 510 games for Orel Hershiser and 470 for Jimmy Key across 18 and 15 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jimmy Key comes out ahead, it is in saves (10 to 5), WHIP (1.23 to 1.26), and walks per nine (2.32 to 2.90). The per-nine rows read 5.79 strikeouts and 2.90 walks for Orel Hershiser, 5.34 and 2.32 for Jimmy Key.
Orel Hershiser vs Jimmy Key: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orel Hershiser or Jimmy Key?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orel Hershiser leads Jimmy Key in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to Jimmy Key's 3.51.
- Who won more games?
- Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Jimmy Key's 186.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Jimmy Key's 1,538.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jimmy Key, with 1.23 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.