Dan Plesac vs Dave Righetti: Career Stats Comparison
Dan Plesac (1986–2003) and Dave Righetti (1979–1995) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 1970s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dan Plesac compiled 65 wins and 1,041 strikeouts; Dave Righetti put up 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Dan Plesac
Dave Righetti
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Dan Plesac | Dave Righetti |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 65 | 82 |
| Losses | 71 | 79 |
| Games | 1,064 | 718 |
| Games Started | 14 | 89 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 13 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 2 |
| Saves | 158 | 252 |
| Strikeouts | 1,041 | 1,112 |
| Walks | 402 | 591 |
| Hits Allowed | 977 | 1,287 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 105 | 95 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,072 | 1,403 |
| ERA | 3.64 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | 1.29 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | 8.74 | 7.13 |
| BB/9 | 3.38 | 3.79 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Righetti edges Dan Plesac 20,202 to 20,030 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,188 vs 1,002 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).
Dan Plesac — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dave Righetti — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Righetti leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Dan Plesac owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dave Righetti. PIV agrees: Dave Righetti grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.