Orel Hershiser vs Rick Reuschel: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Reuschel 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; Rick Reuschel played 1972–1991 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 Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; Rick Reuschel finished with 214 wins and 2,015 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rick Reuschel, with 3.37 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Rick Reuschel, with 214 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rick Reuschel, with 2,015 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP? Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Rick Reuschel, with 3,548.1 to Orel Hershiser's 3,130.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rick Reuschel, with 26 to Orel Hershiser's 25.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rick Reuschel, with 52,650 career Pitcher PIV to Orel Hershiser's 37,276.
Orel Hershiser
Rick Reuschel
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 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Orel Hershiser | Rick Reuschel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 204 | Leads: 214 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 191 |
| Games | 510 | Leads: 557 |
| Games Started | 466 | Leads: 529 |
| Complete Games | 68 | Leads: 102 |
| Shutouts | 25 | Leads: 26 |
| Saves | 5 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 2,014 | Leads: 2,015 |
| Walks not scored | 1,007 | 935 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 3,588 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,130.1 | Leads: 3,548.1 |
| ERA | 3.48 | Leads: 3.37 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.79 | 5.11 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | Leads: 2.37 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Reuschel outpaces Orel Hershiser 52,650 to 37,276 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,507 PIV per season to 2,071, across 21 seasons to 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)
Rick Reuschel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rick Reuschel leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Orel Hershiser owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rick Reuschel. PIV agrees: Rick Reuschel 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 Rick Reuschel careers compare
The careers of Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) and Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) overlapped from 1983 to 1991, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 510 games for Orel Hershiser and 557 for Rick Reuschel across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Orel Hershiser are WHIP (1.26 to 1.27) and strikeouts per nine (5.79 to 5.11). By rate, Orel Hershiser struck out 5.79 and walked 2.90 per nine innings; Rick Reuschel struck out 5.11 and walked 2.37.
Orel Hershiser vs Rick Reuschel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orel Hershiser or Rick Reuschel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Reuschel leads Orel Hershiser in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rick Reuschel, with 3.37 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Rick Reuschel, with 214 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rick Reuschel, with 2,015 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.