Jeff Reardon vs Dave Righetti: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Righetti has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jeff Reardon played 1979–1994 as a pitcher; Dave Righetti played 1979–1995 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
Jeff Reardon (1979–1994) and Dave Righetti (1979–1995) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Jeff Reardon finished with 73 wins and 877 strikeouts; Dave Righetti finished with 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jeff Reardon, with 3.16 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Dave Righetti, with 82 to Jeff Reardon's 73.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to Jeff Reardon's 877.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jeff Reardon, with 1.20 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Dave Righetti, with 1,403.2 to Jeff Reardon's 1,132.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dave Righetti, with 2 to Jeff Reardon's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dave Righetti, with 20,202 career Pitcher PIV to Jeff Reardon's 11,952.
Jeff Reardon
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. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Reardon | Dave Righetti |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 73 | Leads: 82 |
| Losses not scored | 77 | 79 |
| Games | Leads: 880 | 718 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 89 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 13 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 2 |
| Saves | Leads: 367 | 252 |
| Strikeouts | 877 | Leads: 1,112 |
| Walks not scored | 358 | 591 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,000 | 1,287 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 109 | 95 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,132.1 | Leads: 1,403.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.16 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | 6.97 | Leads: 7.13 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.85 | 3.79 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Righetti outpaces Jeff Reardon 20,202 to 11,952 — driven by per-season impact — 1,188 PIV per season to 664 — rather than by longevity, since Dave Righetti played 17 seasons to Jeff Reardon's 18. 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).
Jeff Reardon
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Dave Righetti — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dave Righetti leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Jeff Reardon owns ERA and WHIP. 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.
Related Matchups
How the Jeff Reardon and Dave Righetti careers compare
Jeff Reardon and Dave Righetti were active at the same time between 1979 and 1994. The two careers are close in length, 880 games for Jeff Reardon and 718 for Dave Righetti across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Jeff Reardon struck out 6.97 and walked 2.85 per nine innings; Dave Righetti struck out 7.13 and walked 3.79. Both had the same role: Jeff Reardon worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 880 games, 367 saves); Dave Righetti worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 718 games, 252 saves). In WHIP, Jeff Reardon's 1.20 beats Dave Righetti's 1.34.
Jeff Reardon vs Dave Righetti: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jeff Reardon or Dave Righetti?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Righetti leads Jeff Reardon in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jeff Reardon, with 3.16 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Dave Righetti, with 82 to Jeff Reardon's 73.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to Jeff Reardon's 877.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jeff Reardon, with 1.20 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.