Orel Hershiser vs Shane Reynolds: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) and Shane Reynolds (1992–2004) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Orel Hershiser compiled 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; Shane Reynolds put up 114 wins and 1,403 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Orel Hershiser
Shane Reynolds
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Orel Hershiser | Shane Reynolds |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 204 | 114 |
| Losses | 150 | 96 |
| Games | 510 | 305 |
| Games Started | 466 | 278 |
| Complete Games | 68 | 20 |
| Shutouts | 25 | 7 |
| Saves | 5 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,014 | 1,403 |
| Walks | 1,007 | 419 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,939 | 1,935 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 235 | 191 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,130 | 1,791 |
| ERA | 3.48 | 4.09 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | 7.05 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | 2.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Shane Reynolds edges Orel Hershiser 37,791 to 37,276 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,907 vs 2,071 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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)
Shane Reynolds — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Orel Hershiser leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Shane Reynolds owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Orel Hershiser. Note that PIV actually grades Shane Reynolds ahead, which means Orel Hershiser's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.