Fergie Jenkins vs Rick Reuschel: Career Stats Comparison
Fergie Jenkins has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Fergie Jenkins played 1965–1983 as a pitcher; Rick Reuschel played 1972–1991 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
Fergie Jenkins (1965–1983) and Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Fergie Jenkins compiled 284 wins and 3,192 strikeouts; Rick Reuschel put up 214 wins and 2,015 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Fergie Jenkins, with 3.34 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games? Fergie Jenkins, with 284 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Fergie Jenkins, with 3,192 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP? Fergie Jenkins, with 1.14 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Fergie Jenkins, with 4,500 to Rick Reuschel's 3,548.
- Who threw more shutouts? Fergie Jenkins, with 49 to Rick Reuschel's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rick Reuschel, with 52,650 career Pitcher PIV to Fergie Jenkins's 40,614.
Fergie Jenkins
Rick Reuschel
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Fergie Jenkins | Rick Reuschel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 284 | 214 |
| Losses | 226 | 191 |
| Games | Leads: 664 | 557 |
| Games Started | Leads: 594 | 529 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 267 | 102 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 49 | 26 |
| Saves | Leads: 7 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,192 | 2,015 |
| Walks | 997 | 935 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,142 | 3,588 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 484 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,500 | 3,548 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.34 | 3.37 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.14 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.38 | 5.11 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.99 | 2.37 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Reuschel leads Fergie Jenkins 52,650 to 40,614 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,507 vs 2,031 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).
Fergie Jenkins — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Rick Reuschel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Fergie Jenkins leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Rick Reuschel owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Fergie Jenkins. Note that PIV actually grades Rick Reuschel ahead, which means Fergie Jenkins's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Fergie Jenkins vs Rick Reuschel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Fergie Jenkins or Rick Reuschel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Fergie Jenkins leads Rick Reuschel in 12 of 12 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 3.34 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 284 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 3,192 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Fergie Jenkins, with 1.14 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.