Rick Reuschel vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rick Reuschel played 1972–1991 as a pitcher; Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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
Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) and Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — they debuted in the 1970s and the 1960s respectively and share 15 seasons. Rick Reuschel finished with 214 wins and 2,015 strikeouts; Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Tom Seaver, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
- How many innings did each pitch? Rick Reuschel 3,548.1, Tom Seaver 4,782.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Rick Reuschel's 26.
Rick Reuschel
Tom Seaver
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Rick Reuschel | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 214 | Leads: 311 |
| Losses not scored | 191 | 205 |
| Games not scored | 557 | 656 |
| Games Started not scored | 529 | 647 |
| Complete Games | 102 | Leads: 231 |
| Shutouts | 26 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves not scored | 5 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,015 | Leads: 3,640 |
| Walks not scored | 935 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,588 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 221 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,548.1 | 4,782.2 |
| ERA | 3.37 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.12 |
| K/9 | 5.11 | Leads: 6.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.37 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Tom Seaver outpaces Rick Reuschel 79,192 to 52,650 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 3,960 PIV per season to 2,771, across 20 seasons to 19. 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).
Rick Reuschel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Tom Seaver leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Rick Reuschel leads 1: walks per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Tom Seaver. PIV agrees: Tom Seaver grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Reuschel and Tom Seaver careers compare
The careers of Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) and Tom Seaver (1967–1986) overlapped from 1972 to 1986, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 557 games for Rick Reuschel and 656 for Tom Seaver across 19 and 20 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Rick Reuschel are walks per nine (2.37 to 2.62). By rate, Rick Reuschel struck out 5.11 and walked 2.37 per nine innings; Tom Seaver struck out 6.85 and walked 2.62.
Rick Reuschel vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Reuschel or Tom Seaver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Rick Reuschel in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tom Seaver, with 2.86 to Rick Reuschel's 3.37.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tom Seaver, with 1.12 to Rick Reuschel's 1.27.