Steve Howe vs Jeff Reardon: Career Stats Comparison
Jeff Reardon has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Howe played 1980–1996 as a pitcher; Jeff Reardon played 1979–1994 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
Steve Howe (1980–1996) and Jeff Reardon (1979–1994) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Howe finished with 47 wins and 328 strikeouts; Jeff Reardon finished with 73 wins and 877 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Howe, with 3.03 to Jeff Reardon's 3.16.
- Who won more games? Jeff Reardon, with 73 to Steve Howe's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jeff Reardon, with 877 to Steve Howe's 328.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Jeff Reardon, with 1,132.1 to Steve Howe's 606.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Howe, with 12,134 career Pitcher PIV to Jeff Reardon's 11,952.
Jeff Reardon
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, and the 1980s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Howe | Jeff Reardon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 47 | Leads: 73 |
| Losses not scored | 41 | 77 |
| Games | 497 | Leads: 880 |
| Games Started | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 91 | Leads: 367 |
| Strikeouts | 328 | Leads: 877 |
| Walks not scored | 139 | 358 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 586 | 1,000 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 32 | 109 |
| Innings Pitched | 606.0 | Leads: 1,132.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.03 | 3.16 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 4.87 | Leads: 6.97 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.06 | 2.85 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Howe edges Jeff Reardon 12,134 to 11,952 — driven by per-season impact — 933 PIV per season to 664 — rather than by longevity, since Steve Howe played 13 seasons to Jeff Reardon's 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).
Steve Howe
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Jeff Reardon
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jeff Reardon leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Steve Howe owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jeff Reardon. Note that PIV actually grades Steve Howe ahead, which means Jeff Reardon's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Howe and Jeff Reardon careers compare
Steve Howe and Jeff Reardon were active at the same time between 1980 and 1994. The table compares 497 games of Steve Howe with 880 of Jeff Reardon across 13 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Steve Howe comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.03 to 3.16), WHIP (1.20 to 1.20), and walks per nine (2.06 to 2.85). The per-nine rows read 4.87 strikeouts and 2.06 walks for Steve Howe, 6.97 and 2.85 for Jeff Reardon. Steve Howe worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 497 games, 91 saves), and Jeff Reardon worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 880 games, 367 saves).
Steve Howe vs Jeff Reardon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Howe or Jeff Reardon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jeff Reardon leads Steve Howe in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Howe, with 3.03 to Jeff Reardon's 3.16.
- Who won more games?
- Jeff Reardon, with 73 to Steve Howe's 47.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jeff Reardon, with 877 to Steve Howe's 328.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.20.