Jerry Koosman vs Rick Reuschel: Career Stats Comparison
Jerry Koosman has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jerry Koosman compiled 222 wins and 2,556 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? 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Jerry Koosman, with 3,839 to Rick Reuschel's 3,548.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jerry Koosman, with 33 to Rick Reuschel's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rick Reuschel, with 52,650 career Pitcher PIV to Jerry Koosman's 42,939.
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. 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 | Jerry Koosman | Rick Reuschel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 222 | 214 |
| Losses | 209 | 191 |
| Games | Leads: 612 | 557 |
| Games Started | 527 | Leads: 529 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 140 | 102 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 33 | 26 |
| Saves | Leads: 17 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,556 | 2,015 |
| Walks | 1,198 | 935 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,635 | 3,588 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 290 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,839 | 3,548 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,507 vs 2,147 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).
Jerry Koosman — 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, Jerry Koosman 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 Jerry Koosman. Note that PIV actually grades Rick Reuschel ahead, which means Jerry Koosman's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
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 10 of 12 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.