Dave Righetti vs Greg Swindell: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Righetti (1979–1995) and Greg Swindell (1986–2002) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dave Righetti compiled 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts; Greg Swindell put up 123 wins and 1,542 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Dave Righetti
Greg Swindell
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 | Dave Righetti | Greg Swindell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 82 | 123 |
| Losses | 79 | 122 |
| Games | 718 | 664 |
| Games Started | 89 | 269 |
| Complete Games | 13 | 40 |
| Shutouts | 2 | 12 |
| Saves | 252 | 7 |
| Strikeouts | 1,112 | 1,542 |
| Walks | 591 | 501 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,287 | 2,313 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 95 | 262 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,403 | 2,233 |
| ERA | 3.46 | 3.86 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | 6.21 |
| BB/9 | 3.79 | 2.02 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Righetti edges Greg Swindell 20,202 to 19,548 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,188 vs 1,029 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).
Dave Righetti — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Greg Swindell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Greg Swindell leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Dave Righetti owns ERA and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Greg Swindell. Note that PIV actually grades Dave Righetti ahead, which means Greg Swindell's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.