Orel Hershiser vs Shane Reynolds: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Orel Hershiser played 1983–2000 as a pitcher; Shane Reynolds played 1992–2004 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 Shane Reynolds (1992–2004) — they debuted in the 1980s and the 1990s respectively and share 9 seasons. Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; Shane Reynolds finished with 114 wins and 1,403 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Orel Hershiser, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to Shane Reynolds's 4.09.
- Who won more games? Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Shane Reynolds's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Shane Reynolds's 1,403.
- Who had the better WHIP? Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to Shane Reynolds's 1.31.
- How many innings did each pitch? Orel Hershiser 3,130.1, Shane Reynolds 1,791.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to Shane Reynolds's 7.
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. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Shane Reynolds |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 204 | 114 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 96 |
| Games not scored | 510 | 305 |
| Games Started not scored | 466 | 278 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 68 | 20 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 7 |
| Saves not scored | 5 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,014 | 1,403 |
| Walks not scored | 1,007 | 419 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 1,935 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 191 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,130.1 | 1,791.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.48 | 4.09 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.31 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | Leads: 7.05 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | Leads: 2.10 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Shane Reynolds edges Orel Hershiser 37,791 to 37,276 — driven by per-season impact — 2,907 PIV per season to 2,071 — rather than by longevity, since Shane Reynolds played 13 seasons to Orel Hershiser's 18. 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
Orel Hershiser leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Shane Reynolds leads 2: strikeouts per nine and walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Orel Hershiser. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Shane Reynolds higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Orel Hershiser and Shane Reynolds careers compare
From 1992 through 2000, Orel Hershiser and Shane Reynolds were in the majors together. Orel Hershiser has the far longer record, 510 games against 305 across 18 and 13 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Shane Reynolds's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (7.05 to 5.79) and walks per nine (2.10 to 2.90). The per-nine rows read 5.79 strikeouts and 2.90 walks for Orel Hershiser, 7.05 and 2.10 for Shane Reynolds. Both had the same role: Orel Hershiser was mainly a starter (466 starts in 510 games); Shane Reynolds was mainly a starter (278 starts in 305 games). Complete games (68 to 20) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Orel Hershiser vs Shane Reynolds: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orel Hershiser or Shane Reynolds?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orel Hershiser leads Shane Reynolds in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to Shane Reynolds's 4.09.
- Who won more games?
- Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Shane Reynolds's 114.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Shane Reynolds's 1,403.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to Shane Reynolds's 1.31.