Rick Reuschel vs David Wells: Career Stats Comparison
David Wells 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). Rick Reuschel played 1972–1991 as a pitcher; David Wells played 1987–2007 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 David Wells (1987–2007) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rick Reuschel finished with 214 wins and 2,015 strikeouts; David Wells finished with 239 wins and 2,201 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Rick Reuschel, with 3.37 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games? David Wells, with 239 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? David Wells, with 2,201 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Rick Reuschel, with 3,548.1 to David Wells's 3,439.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rick Reuschel, with 26 to David Wells's 12.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rick Reuschel, with 52,650 career Pitcher PIV to David Wells's 31,301.
Rick Reuschel
David Wells
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rick Reuschel | David Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 214 | Leads: 239 |
| Losses not scored | 191 | 157 |
| Games | 557 | Leads: 660 |
| Games Started | Leads: 529 | 489 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 102 | 54 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 26 | 12 |
| Saves | 5 | Leads: 13 |
| Strikeouts | 2,015 | Leads: 2,201 |
| Walks not scored | 935 | 719 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,588 | 3,635 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 221 | 407 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,548.1 | 3,439.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.37 | 4.13 |
| WHIP | 1.27 | Leads: 1.27 |
| K/9 | 5.11 | Leads: 5.76 |
| BB/9 | 2.37 | Leads: 1.88 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rick Reuschel outpaces David Wells 52,650 to 31,301 — driven by per-season impact — 2,507 PIV per season to 1,304 — rather than by longevity, since Rick Reuschel played 21 seasons to David Wells's 24. 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).
Rick Reuschel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
David Wells — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, David Wells leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Rick Reuschel owns ERA and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to David Wells. Note that PIV actually grades Rick Reuschel ahead, which means David Wells's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Reuschel and David Wells careers compare
The careers of Rick Reuschel (1972–1991) and David Wells (1987–2007) overlapped from 1987 to 1991, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 557 games against 660 across 21 and 24 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Rick Reuschel struck out 5.11 and walked 2.37 per nine innings; David Wells struck out 5.76 and walked 1.88. Both had the same role: Rick Reuschel was mainly a starter (529 starts in 557 games); David Wells was mainly a starter (489 starts in 660 games). In WHIP, David Wells's 1.27 beats Rick Reuschel's 1.27.
Rick Reuschel vs David Wells: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Reuschel or David Wells?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, David Wells leads Rick Reuschel in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rick Reuschel, with 3.37 to David Wells's 4.13.
- Who won more games?
- David Wells, with 239 to Rick Reuschel's 214.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- David Wells, with 2,201 to Rick Reuschel's 2,015.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.27.