Jim Palmer vs Rick Reuschel: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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
Jim Palmer (1965–1984) and Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts; Rick Reuschel finished with 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? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Rick Reuschel's 3,548.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Rick Reuschel's 26.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rick Reuschel, with 52,650 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Jim Palmer
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. 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 1960s and the 1970s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jim Palmer | Rick Reuschel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 268 | 214 |
| Losses not scored | 152 | 191 |
| Games | Leads: 558 | 557 |
| Games Started | 521 | Leads: 529 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 211 | 102 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 53 | 26 |
| Saves | 4 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,212 | 2,015 |
| Walks not scored | 1,311 | 935 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,349 | 3,588 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 303 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,948.0 | 3,548.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.86 | 3.37 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.04 | Leads: 5.11 |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | Leads: 2.37 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Reuschel outpaces Jim Palmer 52,650 to 19,502 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,507 PIV per season to 1,026, across 21 seasons to 19. 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).
Jim Palmer — 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, Jim Palmer leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Rick Reuschel owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jim Palmer. Note that PIV actually grades Rick Reuschel ahead, which means Jim Palmer's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Jim Palmer and Rick Reuschel careers compare
Jim Palmer and Rick Reuschel were active at the same time between 1972 and 1984. With 558 games against 557 across 19 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Rick Reuschel are starts (529 to 521), saves (5 to 4), and strikeouts per nine (5.11 to 5.04). By rate, Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99 per nine innings; Rick Reuschel struck out 5.11 and walked 2.37. Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games), and Rick Reuschel was mainly a starter (529 starts in 557 games). In WHIP, Jim Palmer's 1.18 beats Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
Jim Palmer vs Rick Reuschel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jim Palmer or Rick Reuschel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Rick Reuschel in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Jim Palmer, with 2,212 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.