Orel Hershiser vs Alejandro Peña: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser 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). Orel Hershiser played 1983–2000 as a pitcher; Alejandro Peña played 1981–1996 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 Alejandro Peña (1981–1996) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; Alejandro Peña finished with 56 wins and 839 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Alejandro Peña, with 3.11 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Alejandro Peña's 56.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Alejandro Peña's 839.
- Who had the better WHIP? Alejandro Peña, with 1.22 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Orel Hershiser, with 3,130.1 to Alejandro Peña's 1,057.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to Alejandro Peña's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Orel Hershiser, with 37,276 career Pitcher PIV to Alejandro Peña's 22,404.
Orel Hershiser
Alejandro Peña
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 | Alejandro Peña |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 204 | 56 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 52 |
| Games | Leads: 510 | 503 |
| Games Started | Leads: 466 | 72 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 68 | 12 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 7 |
| Saves | 5 | Leads: 74 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,014 | 839 |
| Walks not scored | 1,007 | 331 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 959 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 75 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,130.1 | 1,057.2 |
| ERA | 3.48 | Leads: 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.22 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | Leads: 7.14 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | Leads: 2.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orel Hershiser outpaces Alejandro Peña 37,276 to 22,404 — driven by per-season impact — 2,071 PIV per season to 1,245 — rather than by longevity, since Orel Hershiser played 18 seasons to Alejandro Peña'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)
Alejandro Peña — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Orel Hershiser leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Alejandro Peña owns ERA, WHIP, 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 Alejandro Peña careers compare
Orel Hershiser and Alejandro Peña were active at the same time between 1983 and 1996. With 510 games against 503 across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 5.79 strikeouts and 2.90 walks for Orel Hershiser, 7.14 and 2.82 for Alejandro Peña. Orel Hershiser was mainly a starter (466 starts in 510 games), while Alejandro Peña worked mostly in relief (72 starts in 503 games, 74 saves). The complete-game row, 68 against 12, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Alejandro Peña allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.22 WHIP to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.
Orel Hershiser vs Alejandro Peña: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orel Hershiser or Alejandro Peña?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orel Hershiser leads Alejandro Peña in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Alejandro Peña, with 3.11 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Alejandro Peña's 56.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Alejandro Peña's 839.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Alejandro Peña, with 1.22 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.