Jesse Orosco

Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1979-2003)

Jesse Orosco was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1979 to 2003 for 9 teams, including the New York Mets, a span of 25 seasons. Across 1,252 career appearances, he went 87-80 with a 3.16 ERA, 1,179 strikeouts, and 144 saves. Jesse Orosco was a 2-time All-Star. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 15723.5.

W (Wins):
Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
ERA (Earned Run Average):
Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
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

W–L 87–80
ERA 3.16
WHIP 1.26
SO 1,179
Pitcher PIV 15723.5
Position
Pitcher
Bats / Throws
R / L
Height / Weight
6'2" / 174 lb
Born
4/21/1957 in Santa Barbara, CA, USA
MLB Debut
1979-04-05
Last Game
2003-09-27
Awards
2× All-Star

Full name: Jesse Russell Orosco

Career Pitching Statistics

Jesse Orosco — Career Pitching Statistics
W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
87 80 1,252 4 0 0 144 1295.1 1,055 455 113 581 1,179 3.16 15723.5

Career ERA 3.16 vs. league average 4.16 across their career seasons — 24.0% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Pitching Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Career Batting Statistics

Jesse Orosco — Career Batting Statistics
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1,252 59 3 10 0 0 0 4 0 8 25 .169 .261 .169 .430 0

Career AVG .169 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — 35.4% below league average.

Career OBP .261 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — 21.0% below league average.

Career SLG .169 vs. league average .405 across their career seasons — 58.1% below league average.

Career OPS .430 vs. league average .735 across their career seasons — 41.4% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

Jesse Orosco — Playoff Career Batting
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
24 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1.000

Playoff Batting by Year

Jesse Orosco — Playoff Batting by Year
Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1997 ALCS BAL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1997 ALDS2 BAL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1996 ALCS BAL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1996 ALDS1 BAL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1988 NLCS LAN 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1986 NLCS NYN 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1986 WS NYN 4 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1.000

Playoff Career Pitching

Jesse Orosco — Playoff Career Pitching
W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
3 1 24 0 2 21.2 16 10 10 22 4.15

Playoff Pitching by Year

Jesse Orosco — Playoff Pitching by Year
Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1997 ALCS BAL 0 0 2 0 0 1.1 0 0 1 1 0.00
1997 ALDS2 BAL 0 0 2 0 0 1.1 1 0 0 1 0.00
1996 ALCS BAL 0 0 4 0 0 2.0 2 1 1 2 4.50
1996 ALDS1 BAL 0 1 4 0 0 1.0 2 4 3 2 36.00
1988 NLCS LAN 0 0 4 0 0 2.1 4 2 3 0 7.71
1986 NLCS NYN 3 0 4 0 0 8.0 5 3 2 10 3.38
1986 WS NYN 0 0 4 0 2 5.2 2 0 0 6 0.00

Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).

Batting — Home / Away

Jesse Orosco — Batting — Home / Away
SplitGABRHHRRBIAVG
Home629291402.138
Away623302602.200

Pitching — Home / Away

Jesse Orosco — Pitching — Home / Away
SplitGIPHERBBSOERA
Home629676.25662282706313.03
Away623618.24892273115483.30

Last 10 Games — Pitching

Jesse Orosco — Last 10 Games — Pitching
DateTmOppDecIPHRERBBSOHR
2003-09-27 MINDET L 0.2011110
2003-09-25 MINDET — 0.1000000
2003-09-24 MINCLE W 0.1000000
2003-09-19 MINDET — 0.1122110
2003-09-15 MINCLE — 1.0000100
2003-09-12 MINCLE — 0.0000000
2003-09-09 MINCHW — 1.0100210
2003-09-02 MINLAA — 1.0200000
2003-08-25 NYYBAL — 0.1000000
2003-08-23 NYYBAL — 0.0010000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Jesse Orosco — Career Fielding Totals by Position
Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 1 0 1 0 0 0
P 1252 4 61 188 4 13

Season-by-Season Fielding

Career Games by Position

Position Diamond

Circle size = games played at each position.

Jesse Orosco Stats, Bio & Career Records
Position Games
Pitcher 1252
Right Field 1

Awards & Honors

Jesse Orosco — Awards & Honors
Year Award Notes
1984 Player of the Week Week of 1984-06-08
1983 Pitcher of the Month August
1983 Player of the Week Week of 1983-08-05
1983 Player of the Week Week of 1983-08-12

Salary History

Jesse Orosco's recorded salaries total $15,265,000 over 17 seasons, 1985 to 2003. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Orosco's career ran from 1979 to 2003. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2001 and 2002.

Jesse Orosco — Salary History
Year Team League Salary
2003 SDN NL $800,000
2000 SLN NL $1,100,000
1999 BAL AL $800,000
1998 BAL AL $1,100,000
1997 BAL AL $1,100,000
1996 BAL AL $750,000
1995 BAL AL $650,000
1994 ML4 AL $775,000
1993 ML4 AL $1,000,000
1992 ML4 AL $1,215,000
1991 CLE AL $900,000
1990 CLE AL $850,000
1989 CLE AL $825,000
1988 LAN NL $1,000,000
1987 NYN NL $925,000
1986 NYN NL $825,000
1985 NYN NL $650,000
Total recorded salary (partial) $15,265,000

College History

Jesse Orosco — College History
School Name City State Years Attended
Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara CA 1977, 1978

Award Voting History

Jesse Orosco — Award Voting History
Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1983 Cy Young Award NL 3rd 19.0 120 1
1983 Most Valuable Player NL 17th 14.0 336 0

Most Similar Players

Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.

Career Spans

Jesse Orosco (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.

  1. 98
    Michael Jackson
    62-67, 3.42 ERA
  2. 97
    Don McMahon
    90-68, 2.96 ERA
  3. 94
    Dan Plesac
    65-71, 3.64 ERA
  4. 90
    Tug McGraw
    96-92, 3.14 ERA
  5. 83
    Steve Bedrosian
    76-79, 3.38 ERA
  6. 82
    Mike Timlin
    75-73, 3.63 ERA

Jesse Orosco: the record in brief

Jesse Orosco played a first major league game on April 5, 1979 and a last one on September 27, 2003. The team column moves through the New York Mets (1979 through 1987), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1988 through 2002), the Cleveland Indians (1989 through 1991), the Milwaukee Brewers (1992 to 1994), the Baltimore Orioles (1995 to 1999), the St. Louis Cardinals (2000), the San Diego Padres (2003), and the New York Yankees (2003), among other clubs in the table. Orosco, born on April 21, 1957, in Santa Barbara, CA, USA, is listed as a pitcher and hit right-handed while throwing left-handed. The bio gives 6 feet, 2 inches and 174 pounds. The given name on file is Jesse Russell Orosco.

Orosco pitched in 1,252 games, starting 4, and finished with a 87-80 record and 3.16 ERA. Orosco had 1,179 strikeouts and 144 saves. Against a 4.16 league ERA for the same years, Orosco was 24.0% better. No season topped the 13 wins of 1983.

Frequently Asked Questions about Jesse Orosco

What years did Jesse Orosco play?
Jesse Orosco played in Major League Baseball from 1979 to 2003.
Was Jesse Orosco a pitcher?
Yes. Jesse Orosco pitched in the major leagues, recording 87 wins and 1179 strikeouts.
How many home runs did Jesse Orosco hit?
Jesse Orosco hit 0 career home runs with 10 hits.
What teams did Jesse Orosco play for?
Jesse Orosco played for 9 teams: the New York Mets (1979, 1981–1987), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1988, 2001–2002), the Cleveland Indians (1989–1991), the Milwaukee Brewers (1992–1994), the Baltimore Orioles (1995–1999), the St. Louis Cardinals (2000), the San Diego Padres (2003), the New York Yankees (2003), and the Minnesota Twins (2003).
Did Jesse Orosco win a Cy Young Award?
No. Jesse Orosco did not win the Cy Young Award.
What awards did Jesse Orosco win?
Jesse Orosco was selected to 2 All-Star Games.
What were Jesse Orosco's career stats?
In 1,252 games, Jesse Orosco went 87-80 with a 3.16 ERA, 1,179 strikeouts, 1,295.1 innings pitched, and 144 saves.
How much did Jesse Orosco earn in his career?
Jesse Orosco's recorded salaries total $15,265,000 over 17 seasons, 1985 to 2003. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Orosco's career ran from 1979 to 2003. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2001 and 2002.
What was Jesse Orosco's salary?
Jesse Orosco's last recorded salary was $800,000, in 2003. His highest recorded salary was $1,215,000, in 1992, and his lowest was $650,000, in 1985. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 2003.
What position did Jesse Orosco play?
Jesse Orosco played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
How tall was Jesse Orosco and how much did he weigh?
Jesse Orosco was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 174 pounds.
What was Jesse Orosco's career ERA?
Jesse Orosco finished with a 3.16 career ERA, going 87-80 with 1,179 strikeouts.
How many strikeouts did Jesse Orosco have?
Jesse Orosco recorded 1,179 career strikeouts.
Is Jesse Orosco in the Hall of Fame?
No. Jesse Orosco has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.