Dave Righetti vs Kent Tekulve: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Righetti (1979–1995) and Kent Tekulve (1974–1989) — both came up during the 1970s, so the matchup is a direct one. Dave Righetti compiled 82 wins and 1,112 strikeouts; Kent Tekulve put up 94 wins and 779 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Dave Righetti | Kent Tekulve |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 82 | 94 |
| Losses | 79 | 90 |
| Games | 718 | 1,050 |
| Games Started | 89 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 13 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 2 | 0 |
| Saves | 252 | 184 |
| Strikeouts | 1,112 | 779 |
| Walks | 591 | 491 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,287 | 1,305 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 95 | 63 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,403 | 1,436 |
| ERA | 3.46 | 2.85 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | 1.25 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | 4.88 |
| BB/9 | 3.79 | 3.08 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Kent Tekulve leads Dave Righetti 22,171 to 20,202 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,304 vs 1,188 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)
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.