Dave Righetti vs Greg Swindell: Career Stats Comparison
Greg Swindell has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dave Righetti played 1979–1995 as a pitcher; Greg Swindell played 1986–2002 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
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 finished with 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts; Greg Swindell finished with 123 wins and 1,542 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Dave Righetti, with 3.46 to Greg Swindell's 3.86.
- Who won more games? Greg Swindell, with 123 to Dave Righetti's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Greg Swindell, with 1,542 to Dave Righetti's 1,112.
- Who had the better WHIP? Greg Swindell, with 1.26 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Greg Swindell, with 2,233.1 to Dave Righetti's 1,403.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Greg Swindell, with 12 to Dave Righetti's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dave Righetti, with 20,202 career Pitcher PIV to Greg Swindell's 19,548.
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. 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 | Dave Righetti | Greg Swindell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 82 | Leads: 123 |
| Losses not scored | 79 | 122 |
| Games | Leads: 718 | 664 |
| Games Started | 89 | Leads: 269 |
| Complete Games | 13 | Leads: 40 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | Leads: 252 | 7 |
| Strikeouts | 1,112 | Leads: 1,542 |
| Walks not scored | 591 | 501 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,287 | 2,313 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 95 | 262 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,403.2 | Leads: 2,233.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.46 | 3.86 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 6.21 |
| BB/9 | 3.79 | Leads: 2.02 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dave Righetti edges Greg Swindell 20,202 to 19,548 — driven by per-season impact — 1,188 PIV per season to 1,029 — rather than by longevity, since Dave Righetti played 17 seasons to Greg Swindell's 19. 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).
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.
Related Matchups
How the Dave Righetti and Greg Swindell careers compare
Dave Righetti and Greg Swindell were active at the same time between 1986 and 1995. With 718 games against 664 across 17 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Dave Righetti's edges on the table are games (718 to 664), saves (252 to 7), and ERA (3.46 to 3.86). By rate, Dave Righetti struck out 7.13 and walked 3.79 per nine innings; Greg Swindell struck out 6.21 and walked 2.02. Dave Righetti worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 718 games, 252 saves), while Greg Swindell split time between starting and relief (269 starts in 664 games). Greg Swindell allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.26 WHIP to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
Dave Righetti vs Greg Swindell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Righetti or Greg Swindell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Greg Swindell leads Dave Righetti in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Dave Righetti, with 3.46 to Greg Swindell's 3.86.
- Who won more games?
- Greg Swindell, with 123 to Dave Righetti's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Greg Swindell, with 1,542 to Dave Righetti's 1,112.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Greg Swindell, with 1.26 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.