Orel Hershiser vs David Wells: Career Stats Comparison
Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) and David Wells (1987–2007) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Orel Hershiser compiled 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; David Wells put up 239 wins and 2,201 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Orel Hershiser
David Wells
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 | David Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 204 | 239 |
| Losses | 150 | 157 |
| Games | 510 | 660 |
| Games Started | 466 | 489 |
| Complete Games | 68 | 54 |
| Shutouts | 25 | 12 |
| Saves | 5 | 13 |
| Strikeouts | 2,014 | 2,201 |
| Walks | 1,007 | 719 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,939 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 235 | 407 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,130 | 3,439 |
| ERA | 3.48 | 4.13 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.79 | 5.76 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | 1.88 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orel Hershiser leads David Wells 37,276 to 31,301 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,071 vs 1,304 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)
David Wells — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Orel Hershiser leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while David Wells owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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.