Orel Hershiser vs Pedro Martinez: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser and Pedro Martinez are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Orel Hershiser played 1983–2000 as a pitcher; Pedro Martinez played 1992–2009 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 Pedro Martinez (1992–2009) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; Pedro Martinez finished with 219 wins and 3,154 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Pedro Martinez, with 219 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Orel Hershiser, with 3,130.1 to Pedro Martinez's 2,827.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to Pedro Martinez's 17.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pedro Martinez, with 113,314 career Pitcher PIV to Orel Hershiser's 37,276.
Orel Hershiser
Pedro Martinez
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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Orel Hershiser | Pedro Martinez |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 204 | Leads: 219 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 100 |
| Games | Leads: 510 | 476 |
| Games Started | Leads: 466 | 409 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 68 | 46 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 17 |
| Saves | Leads: 5 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | 2,014 | Leads: 3,154 |
| Walks not scored | 1,007 | 760 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 2,221 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 239 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,130.1 | 2,827.1 |
| ERA | 3.48 | Leads: 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.05 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | Leads: 10.04 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | Leads: 2.42 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pedro Martinez outpaces Orel Hershiser 113,314 to 37,276 — driven by per-season impact — 6,295 PIV per season to 2,071 — rather than by longevity, since Pedro Martinez played 18 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).
Orel Hershiser — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Pedro Martinez — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pedro Martinez leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Orel Hershiser owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pedro Martinez. PIV agrees: Pedro Martinez 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 Pedro Martinez careers compare
From 1992 through 2000, Orel Hershiser and Pedro Martinez were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 510 games for Orel Hershiser and 476 for Pedro Martinez across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Orel Hershiser struck out 5.79 and walked 2.90 per nine innings; Pedro Martinez struck out 10.04 and walked 2.42. Orel Hershiser was mainly a starter (466 starts in 510 games), and Pedro Martinez was mainly a starter (409 starts in 476 games). In WHIP, Pedro Martinez's 1.05 beats Orel Hershiser's 1.26.
Orel Hershiser vs Pedro Martinez: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pedro Martinez, with 2.93 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Pedro Martinez, with 219 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pedro Martinez, with 3,154 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pedro Martinez, with 1.05 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.