Orel Hershiser vs David Wells: Career Stats Comparison
David Wells has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; David Wells played 1987–2007 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 David Wells (1987–2007) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Orel Hershiser finished with 204 wins and 2,014 strikeouts; David Wells finished with 239 wins and 2,201 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games? David Wells, with 239 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Wells, with 2,201 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP? Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to David Wells's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? David Wells, with 3,439.0 to Orel Hershiser's 3,130.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Orel Hershiser, with 25 to David Wells's 12.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Orel Hershiser, with 37,276 career Pitcher PIV to David Wells's 31,301.
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. 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 | David Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 204 | Leads: 239 |
| Losses not scored | 150 | 157 |
| Games | 510 | Leads: 660 |
| Games Started | 466 | Leads: 489 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 68 | 54 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 12 |
| Saves | 5 | Leads: 13 |
| Strikeouts | 2,014 | Leads: 2,201 |
| Walks not scored | 1,007 | 719 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,939 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 407 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,130.1 | Leads: 3,439.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.48 | 4.13 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.79 | 5.76 |
| BB/9 | 2.90 | Leads: 1.88 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Orel Hershiser leads David Wells 37,276 to 31,301 — driven by per-season impact — 2,071 PIV per season to 1,304 — rather than by longevity, since Orel Hershiser played 18 seasons to David Wells's 24. 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)
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.
Related Matchups
How the Orel Hershiser and David Wells careers compare
The careers of Orel Hershiser (1983–2000) and David Wells (1987–2007) overlapped from 1987 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 660 for David Wells across 18 and 24 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 5.79 strikeouts and 2.90 walks for Orel Hershiser, 5.76 and 1.88 for David Wells. Both had the same role: Orel Hershiser was mainly a starter (466 starts in 510 games); David Wells was mainly a starter (489 starts in 660 games). Orel Hershiser allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.26 WHIP to David Wells's 1.27.
Orel Hershiser vs David Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Orel Hershiser or David Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Wells leads Orel Hershiser in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Orel Hershiser, with 3.48 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games?
- David Wells, with 239 to Orel Hershiser's 204.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Wells, with 2,201 to Orel Hershiser's 2,014.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Orel Hershiser, with 1.26 to David Wells's 1.27.