Jeff Reardon vs Bobby Shantz: Career Stats Comparison
Jeff Reardon and Bobby Shantz are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jeff Reardon played 1979–1994 as a pitcher; Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964 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 Bobby Shantz (1949–1964) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Jeff Reardon finished with 73 wins and 877 strikeouts; Bobby Shantz finished with 119 wins and 1,072 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 Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games? Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Jeff Reardon's 73.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bobby Shantz, with 1,072 to Jeff Reardon's 877.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jeff Reardon, with 1.20 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Bobby Shantz, with 1,935.2 to Jeff Reardon's 1,132.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bobby Shantz, with 15 to Jeff Reardon's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Bobby Shantz, with 24,845 career Pitcher PIV to Jeff Reardon's 11,952.
Jeff Reardon
Bobby Shantz
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 1970s and the 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Jeff Reardon | Bobby Shantz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 73 | Leads: 119 |
| Losses not scored | 77 | 99 |
| Games | Leads: 880 | 537 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 171 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 78 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 367 | 48 |
| Strikeouts | 877 | Leads: 1,072 |
| Walks not scored | 358 | 643 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,000 | 1,795 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 109 | 151 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,132.1 | Leads: 1,935.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.16 | 3.38 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.20 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.97 | 4.98 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.85 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Bobby Shantz outpaces Jeff Reardon 24,845 to 11,952 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,308 PIV per season to 664, across 19 seasons to 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.
Bobby Shantz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Bobby Shantz leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Jeff Reardon owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Bobby Shantz. PIV agrees: Bobby Shantz 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 Bobby Shantz careers compare
No season is shared: Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964, Jeff Reardon 1979–1994. The table compares 880 games of Jeff Reardon with 537 of Bobby Shantz across 18 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, Jeff Reardon struck out 6.97 and walked 2.85 per nine innings; Bobby Shantz struck out 4.98 and walked 2.99. Jeff Reardon worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 880 games, 367 saves), while Bobby Shantz split time between starting and relief (171 starts in 537 games). Complete games (0 to 78) show how differently the two eras used starters. Jeff Reardon allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.20 WHIP to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
Jeff Reardon vs Bobby Shantz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jeff Reardon, with 3.16 to Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games?
- Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Jeff Reardon's 73.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bobby Shantz, with 1,072 to Jeff Reardon's 877.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jeff Reardon, with 1.20 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.