Dave Righetti vs John Wetteland: Career Stats Comparison
Dave Righetti 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). Dave Righetti played 1979–1995 as a pitcher; John Wetteland played 1989–2000 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 John Wetteland (1989–2000) — 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; John Wetteland finished with 48 wins and 804 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? John Wetteland, with 2.93 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Dave Righetti, with 82 to John Wetteland's 48.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to John Wetteland's 804.
- Who had the better WHIP? John Wetteland, with 1.13 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Dave Righetti, with 1,403.2 to John Wetteland's 765.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dave Righetti, with 2 to John Wetteland's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Wetteland, with 20,366 career Pitcher PIV to Dave Righetti's 20,202.
Dave Righetti
John Wetteland
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 | John Wetteland |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 82 | 48 |
| Losses not scored | 79 | 45 |
| Games | Leads: 718 | 618 |
| Games Started | Leads: 89 | 17 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 13 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Saves | 252 | Leads: 330 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,112 | 804 |
| Walks not scored | 591 | 252 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,287 | 616 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 95 | 73 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,403.2 | 765.0 |
| ERA | 3.46 | Leads: 2.93 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 9.46 |
| BB/9 | 3.79 | Leads: 2.96 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Wetteland edges Dave Righetti 20,366 to 20,202 — driven by per-season impact — 1,697 PIV per season to 1,188 — rather than by longevity, since John Wetteland played 12 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)
John Wetteland
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Wetteland leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Dave Righetti owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Wetteland. PIV agrees: John Wetteland 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 John Wetteland careers compare
The careers of Dave Righetti (1979–1995) and John Wetteland (1989–2000) overlapped from 1989 to 1995, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 718 games against 618 across 17 and 12 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Dave Righetti struck out 7.13 and walked 3.79 per nine innings; John Wetteland struck out 9.46 and walked 2.96. Dave Righetti worked mostly in relief (89 starts in 718 games, 252 saves), and John Wetteland worked mostly in relief (17 starts in 618 games, 330 saves). John Wetteland allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.13 WHIP to Dave Righetti's 1.34.
Dave Righetti vs John Wetteland: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dave Righetti or John Wetteland?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dave Righetti leads John Wetteland in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Wetteland, with 2.93 to Dave Righetti's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Dave Righetti, with 82 to John Wetteland's 48.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dave Righetti, with 1,112 to John Wetteland's 804.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- John Wetteland, with 1.13 to Dave Righetti's 1.34.