Orel Hershiser vs Curt Schilling: Career Stats Comparison
Curt Schilling has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Curt Schilling played 1988–2007 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 Curt Schilling (1988–2007) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; Curt Schilling finished with 216 wins and 3,116 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Curt Schilling, with 3.46 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games? Curt Schilling, with 216 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP? Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Curt Schilling, with 3,261.0 to Orel Hershiser's 3,130.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to Curt Schilling's 20.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Orel Hershiser's 37,276.
Orel Hershiser
Curt Schilling
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Orel Hershiser | Curt Schilling |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 204 | Leads: 216 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 146 |
| Games | 510 | Leads: 569 |
| Games Started | Leads: 466 | 436 |
| Complete Games | 68 | Leads: 83 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 20 |
| Saves | 5 | Leads: 22 |
| Strikeouts | 2,014 | Leads: 3,116 |
| Walks not scored | 1,007 | 711 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 2,998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,130.1 | Leads: 3,261.0 |
| ERA | 3.48 | Leads: 3.46 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | Leads: 8.60 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | Leads: 1.96 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling outpaces Orel Hershiser 98,246 to 37,276 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,678 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)
Curt Schilling — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Curt Schilling leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Orel Hershiser owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Curt Schilling. PIV agrees: Curt Schilling 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 Curt Schilling careers compare
From 1988 through 2000, Orel Hershiser and Curt Schilling were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 510 games for Orel Hershiser and 569 for Curt Schilling across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Orel Hershiser's edges on the table are starts (466 to 436) and shutouts (25 to 20). By rate, Orel Hershiser struck out 5.79 and walked 2.90 per nine innings; Curt Schilling struck out 8.60 and walked 1.96. Both had the same role: Orel Hershiser was mainly a starter (466 starts in 510 games); Curt Schilling was mainly a starter (436 starts in 569 games).
Orel Hershiser vs Curt Schilling: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orel Hershiser or Curt Schilling?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Curt Schilling leads Orel Hershiser in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Curt Schilling, with 3.46 to Orel Hershiser's 3.48.
- Who won more games?
- Curt Schilling, with 216 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to Orel Hershiser's 1.26.