Orel Hershiser vs Andy Pettitte: Career Stats Comparison
Andy Pettitte 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; Andy Pettitte played 1995–2013 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 Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) — 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; Andy Pettitte finished with 256 wins and 2,448 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 Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Andy Pettitte, with 2,448 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP? Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Andy Pettitte, with 3,316.0 to Orel Hershiser's 3,130.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to Andy Pettitte's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Andy Pettitte, with 57,293 career Pitcher PIV to Orel Hershiser's 37,276.
Orel Hershiser
Andy Pettitte
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 | Andy Pettitte |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 204 | Leads: 256 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 153 |
| Games | 510 | Leads: 531 |
| Games Started | 466 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 68 | 26 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 4 |
| Saves | Leads: 5 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,014 | Leads: 2,448 |
| Walks not scored | 1,007 | 1,031 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 3,448 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,130.1 | Leads: 3,316.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.48 | 3.85 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | Leads: 6.64 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | Leads: 2.80 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Andy Pettitte outpaces Orel Hershiser 57,293 to 37,276 — driven by per-season impact — 3,183 PIV per season to 2,071 — rather than by longevity, since Andy Pettitte 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)
Andy Pettitte — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Andy Pettitte leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Orel Hershiser owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Andy Pettitte. PIV agrees: Andy Pettitte 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 Andy Pettitte careers compare
The careers of Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) and Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) overlapped from 1995 to 2000, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 510 games for Orel Hershiser and 531 for Andy Pettitte across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 5.79 strikeouts and 2.90 walks for Orel Hershiser, 6.64 and 2.80 for Andy Pettitte. Both had the same role: Orel Hershiser was mainly a starter (466 starts in 510 games); Andy Pettitte was mainly a starter (521 starts in 531 games). In WHIP, Orel Hershiser's 1.26 beats Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
Orel Hershiser vs Andy Pettitte: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orel Hershiser or Andy Pettitte?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Andy Pettitte leads Orel Hershiser in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Andy Pettitte, with 2,448 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.