Dave Righetti vs Kent Tekulve: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Righetti and Kent Tekulve are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Dave Righetti played 1979–1995 as a pitcher; Kent Tekulve played 1974–1989 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 Kent Tekulve (1974–1989) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Dave Righetti finished with 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts; Kent Tekulve finished with 94 wins and 779 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Kent Tekulve, with 2.85 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Kent Tekulve, with 94 to Dave Righetti's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to Kent Tekulve's 779.
- Who had the better WHIP? Kent Tekulve, with 1.25 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Kent Tekulve, with 1,436.2 to Dave Righetti's 1,403.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dave Righetti, with 2 to Kent Tekulve's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Kent Tekulve, with 22,171 career Pitcher PIV to Dave Righetti's 20,202.
Dave Righetti
Kent Tekulve
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Dave Righetti | Kent Tekulve |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 82 | Leads: 94 |
| Losses not scored | 79 | 90 |
| Games | 718 | Leads: 1,050 |
| Games Started | Leads: 89 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 13 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 252 | 184 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,112 | 779 |
| Walks not scored | 591 | 491 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,287 | 1,305 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 95 | 63 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,403.2 | Leads: 1,436.2 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 2.85 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | Leads: 1.25 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 4.88 |
| BB/9 | 3.79 | Leads: 3.08 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kent Tekulve leads Dave Righetti 22,171 to 20,202 — driven by per-season impact — 1,304 PIV per season to 1,188 — rather than by longevity, since Kent Tekulve played 17 seasons to Dave Righetti's 17. 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)
Kent Tekulve — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Kent Tekulve leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Dave Righetti owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Kent Tekulve. PIV agrees: Kent Tekulve grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dave Righetti and Kent Tekulve careers compare
The careers of Dave Righetti (1979–1995) and Kent Tekulve (1974–1989) overlapped from 1979 to 1989, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 718 games for Dave Righetti and 1,050 for Kent Tekulve across 17 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Dave Righetti struck out 7.13 and walked 3.79 per nine innings; Kent Tekulve struck out 4.88 and walked 3.08. Dave Righetti worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 718 games, 252 saves), and Kent Tekulve worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 1,050 games, 184 saves). In WHIP, Kent Tekulve's 1.25 beats Dave Righetti's 1.34.
Dave Righetti vs Kent Tekulve: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Kent Tekulve, with 2.85 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Kent Tekulve, with 94 to Dave Righetti's 82.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to Kent Tekulve's 779.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Kent Tekulve, with 1.25 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.