Orel Hershiser vs Jose Rijo: 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; Jose Rijo played 1984–2002 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 Jose Rijo (1984–2002) — both debuted in the 1980s. Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; Jose Rijo finished with 116 wins and 1,606 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? Jose Rijo, with 3.24 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Jose Rijo's 116.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Jose Rijo's 1,606.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.26.
- How many innings did each pitch? Orel Hershiser 3,130.1, Jose Rijo 1,880.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to Jose Rijo's 4.
Orel Hershiser
Jose Rijo
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 | Jose Rijo |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 204 | 116 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 91 |
| Games not scored | 510 | 376 |
| Games Started not scored | 466 | 269 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 68 | 22 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 4 |
| Saves not scored | 5 | 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,014 | 1,606 |
| Walks not scored | 1,007 | 663 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 1,710 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 147 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,130.1 | 1,880.0 |
| ERA | 3.48 | Leads: 3.24 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | Leads: 7.69 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.90 | 3.17 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orel Hershiser edges Jose Rijo 37,276 to 35,808 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Orel Hershiser played 18 seasons to Jose Rijo's 14, while Jose Rijo carries the higher per-season figure (2,558 to 2,071). 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)
Jose Rijo — 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. Jose Rijo leads 2: ERA and strikeouts per nine. 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 Jose Rijo careers compare
The careers of Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) and Jose Rijo (1984–2002) overlapped from 1984 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 376 for Jose Rijo across 18 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Jose Rijo's edges on the table are ERA (3.24 to 3.48) and strikeouts per nine (7.69 to 5.79). The per-nine rows read 5.79 strikeouts and 2.90 walks for Orel Hershiser, 7.69 and 3.17 for Jose Rijo.
Orel Hershiser vs Jose Rijo: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orel Hershiser or Jose Rijo?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Orel Hershiser leads Jose Rijo in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jose Rijo, with 3.24 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Orel Hershiser, with 204 to Jose Rijo's 116.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Orel Hershiser, with 2,014 to Jose Rijo's 1,606.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.26.