Jerry Koosman vs Rick Reuschel: Career Stats Comparison
Jerry Koosman has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jerry Koosman played 1967–1985 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
Jerry Koosman (1967–1985) and Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) — they debuted in the 1960s and the 1970s respectively and share 14 seasons. Jerry Koosman finished with 222 wins and 2,556 strikeouts; Rick Reuschel finished with 214 wins and 2,015 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Jerry Koosman, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Jerry Koosman, with 3.36 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games? Jerry Koosman, with 222 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jerry Koosman, with 2,556 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jerry Koosman, with 1.26 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
- How many innings did each pitch? Jerry Koosman 3,839.1, Rick Reuschel 3,548.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jerry Koosman, with 33 to Rick Reuschel's 26.
Jerry Koosman
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Jerry Koosman | Rick Reuschel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 222 | 214 |
| Losses not scored | 209 | 191 |
| Games not scored | 612 | 557 |
| Games Started not scored | 527 | 529 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 140 | 102 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 33 | 26 |
| Saves not scored | 17 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,556 | 2,015 |
| Walks not scored | 1,198 | 935 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,635 | 3,588 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 290 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,839.1 | 3,548.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.36 | 3.37 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.26 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.99 | 5.11 |
| BB/9 | 2.81 | Leads: 2.37 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Reuschel leads Jerry Koosman 52,650 to 42,939 — driven by per-season impact — 2,771 PIV per season to 2,260 — rather than by longevity, since Rick Reuschel played 19 seasons to Jerry Koosman's 19. 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).
Jerry Koosman — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Rick Reuschel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Jerry Koosman leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Rick Reuschel leads 1: walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jerry Koosman. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Rick Reuschel higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jerry Koosman and Rick Reuschel careers compare
The careers of Jerry Koosman (1967–1985) and Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) overlapped from 1972 to 1985, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 612 games for Jerry Koosman and 557 for Rick Reuschel across 19 and 19 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Rick Reuschel's edges on the table are walks per nine (2.37 to 2.81). The per-nine rows read 5.99 strikeouts and 2.81 walks for Jerry Koosman, 5.11 and 2.37 for Rick Reuschel. Both had the same role: Jerry Koosman was mainly a starter (527 starts in 612 games); Rick Reuschel was mainly a starter (529 starts in 557 games).
Jerry Koosman vs Rick Reuschel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jerry Koosman or Rick Reuschel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jerry Koosman leads Rick Reuschel in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jerry Koosman, with 3.36 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games?
- Jerry Koosman, with 222 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jerry Koosman, with 2,556 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jerry Koosman, with 1.26 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.