Eric Plunk

Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1986-1999)

Eric Plunk was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1986 to 1999 for 4 teams, including the Athletics, a span of 14 seasons. Across 714 career appearances, he went 72-58 with a 3.82 ERA, 1,081 strikeouts, and 35 saves.

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 72–58
ERA 3.82
WHIP 1.44
SO 1,081
Pitcher PIV -1491.9
Position
Pitcher
Bats / Throws
R / R
Height / Weight
6'5" / 210 lb
Born
9/3/1963 in Wilmington, CA, USA
MLB Debut
1986-05-12
Last Game
1999-10-02

Full name: Eric Vaughn Plunk

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Career Pitching Statistics

Eric Plunk — Career Pitching Statistics
W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
72 58 714 41 0 0 35 1151.0 1,009 488 122 647 1,081 3.82 -1491.9

Career ERA 3.82 vs. league average 4.19 across their career seasons — 8.8% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Pitching Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Eric Plunk Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1986 OAK AL 4 7 26 15 0 0 0 120.1 91 71 102 98 5.31 3.97 (-34%) -4060.5
1987 OAK AL 4 6 32 11 0 0 2 95.0 91 50 62 90 4.74 4.29 (-10%) 487.7
1988 OAK AL 7 2 49 0 0 0 5 78.0 62 26 39 79 3.00 3.73 (+20%) 895.2
1989 OAK AL 1 1 23 0 0 0 1 28.2 17 7 12 24 2.20 3.71 (+41%) 582.4
1989 NYA AL 7 5 27 7 0 0 0 75.2 65 31 52 61 3.69 3.71 (+1%) -1982.7
1990 NYA AL 6 3 47 0 0 0 0 72.2 58 22 43 67 2.72 3.86 (+29%) -62.1
1991 NYA AL 2 5 43 8 0 0 0 111.2 128 59 62 103 4.76 3.91 (-22%) -2478.4
1992 CLE AL 9 6 58 0 0 0 4 71.2 61 29 38 50 3.64 3.75 (+3%) -250.8
1993 CLE AL 4 5 70 0 0 0 15 71.0 61 22 30 77 2.79 4.19 (+33%) 2139.8
1994 CLE AL 7 2 41 0 0 0 3 71.0 61 20 37 73 2.54 4.51 (+44%) 2232.8
1995 CLE AL 6 2 56 0 0 0 2 64.0 48 19 27 71 2.67 4.45 (+40%) 1779.6
1996 CLE AL 3 2 56 0 0 0 2 77.2 56 21 34 85 2.43 4.61 (+47%) 2356.8
1997 CLE AL 4 5 55 0 0 0 0 65.2 62 34 36 66 4.66 4.39 (-6%) -1273.3
1998 CLE AL 3 1 37 0 0 0 0 41.0 44 22 15 38 4.83 4.43 (-9%) -0.2
1998 MIL NL 1 2 26 0 0 0 1 31.2 33 13 15 36 3.69 4.43 (+17%) 501.5
1999 MIL NL 4 4 68 0 0 0 0 75.1 71 42 43 63 5.02 4.71 (-7%) -2359.7
Career · 16 seasons 72 58 714 41 0 0 35 1,151.0 1,009 488 647 1,081 3.82 — -1,492

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

Eric Plunk — Career Batting Statistics
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
715 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000 .333 .000 .333 0

Career AVG .000 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.

Career OBP .333 vs. league average .331 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .000 vs. league average .404 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.

Career OPS .333 vs. league average .735 across their career seasons — 54.7% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Eric Plunk Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1986 OAK AL 26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1987 OAK AL 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1988 OAK AL 49 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1989 OAK AL 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1989 NYA AL 27 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1990 NYA AL 47 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1991 NYA AL 43 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1992 CLE AL 58 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1993 CLE AL 70 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1994 CLE AL 41 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1995 CLE AL 56 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1996 CLE AL 56 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1997 CLE AL 56 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 — — — — 0.0
1998 CLE AL 37 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1998 MIL NL 26 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 .000 — — — — 0.0
1999 MIL NL 68 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
Career · 16 seasons 715 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000 — — — — 0

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

Eric Plunk — Playoff Career Batting
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Playoff Batting by Year

Eric Plunk — Playoff Batting by Year
Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1997 ALCS CLE 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1997 ALDS1 CLE 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1997 WS CLE 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1996 ALDS1 CLE 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1995 ALCS CLE 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1995 ALDS1 CLE 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1988 ALCS OAK 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
1988 WS OAK 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Playoff Career Pitching

Eric Plunk — Playoff Career Pitching
W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1 3 15 0 0 14.1 12 12 10 17 7.53

Playoff Pitching by Year

Eric Plunk — Playoff Pitching by Year
Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1997 ALCS CLE 1 0 1 0 0 0.2 1 0 0 0 0.00
1997 ALDS1 CLE 0 1 1 0 0 1.1 4 4 0 1 27.00
1997 WS CLE 0 1 3 0 0 3.0 3 3 4 3 9.00
1996 ALDS1 CLE 0 1 3 0 0 4.0 1 3 2 6 6.75
1995 ALCS CLE 0 0 3 0 0 2.0 1 2 3 2 9.00
1995 ALDS1 CLE 0 0 1 0 0 1.1 1 0 1 1 0.00
1988 ALCS OAK 0 0 1 0 0 0.1 1 0 0 1 0.00
1988 WS OAK 0 0 2 0 0 1.2 0 0 0 3 0.00

Game Log & Splits

View full game log (1429 games) →

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

Batting — Home / Away

Eric Plunk — Batting — Home / Away
SplitGABRHHRRBIAVG
Home33510000.000
Away38011000.000

Pitching — Home / Away

Eric Plunk — Pitching — Home / Away
SplitGIPHERBBSOERA
Home334559.04962553065074.11
Away380592.05132333415743.54

Last 10 Games — Pitching

Eric Plunk — Last 10 Games — Pitching
DateTmOppDecIPHRERBBSOHR
1999-10-02 MILCIN — 0.1211000
1999-10-01 MILCIN — 0.2000000
1999-09-30 MILPIT — 1.0000110
1999-09-24 MILHOU L 0.1144200
1999-09-23 MILPHI — 1.0000020
1999-09-21 MILPHI — 0.2000100
1999-09-19 MILCHC — 0.2011110
1999-09-18 MILCHC — 0.1000000
1999-09-17 MILCHC — 1.0000000
1999-09-13 MILSTL — 1.0200110

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Eric Plunk — Career Fielding Totals by Position
Position G GS PO A E DP
P 714 41 43 93 13 3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Eric Plunk — Season-by-Season Fielding
Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1986 OAK P 26 15 3 6 1 0
1987 OAK P 32 11 1 9 0 0
1988 OAK P 49 0 2 5 1 0
1989 OAK P 23 0 1 3 0 0
1989 NYA P 27 7 1 4 1 0
1990 NYA P 47 0 3 18 2 2
1991 NYA P 43 8 4 7 2 0
1992 CLE P 58 0 7 7 1 0
1993 CLE P 70 0 5 2 1 0
1994 CLE P 41 0 8 3 0 0
1995 CLE P 56 0 2 7 0 1
1996 CLE P 56 0 4 7 0 0
1997 CLE P 55 0 2 4 2 0
1998 CLE P 37 0 0 5 1 0
1998 MIL P 26 0 0 0 0 0
1999 MIL P 68 0 0 6 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Diamond

Circle size = games played at each position.

Eric Plunk Stats, Bio & Career Records
Position Games
Pitcher 715

Salary History

Eric Plunk — Salary History
Year Team League Salary
1999 MIL NL $1,850,000
1998 CLE AL $1,800,000
1997 CLE AL $1,850,000
1996 CLE AL $750,000
1995 CLE AL $725,000
1994 CLE AL $625,000
1993 CLE AL $725,000
1992 CLE AL $357,500
1991 NYA AL $975,000
1990 NYA AL $450,000
1989 NYA AL $232,390
1988 OAK AL $90,000
1987 OAK AL $77,667
1986 OAK AL $60,000
Total Career Earnings $10,567,557

Most Similar Players

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

Career Spans

Eric Plunk (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.

  1. 98
    Juan Berenguer
    67-62, 3.90 ERA
  2. 96
    Mike Remlinger
    53-55, 3.90 ERA
  3. 90
    Mark Davis
    51-84, 4.17 ERA
  4. 88
    Greg Harris
    74-90, 3.69 ERA
  5. 87
    Jeff Nelson
    48-45, 3.41 ERA
  6. 85
    Kent Mercker
    74-67, 4.16 ERA

Eric Plunk: the record in brief

Between the debut on May 12, 1986 and the final game on October 2, 1999, Eric Plunk built the record summarized on this page. The team column moves through the Oakland Athletics (1986 to 1989), the New York Yankees (1989 to 1991), the Cleveland Indians (1992 to 1998), and the Milwaukee Brewers (1998 through 1999). Plunk, a pitcher by primary position, batted and threw right-handed. Height and weight on file: 210 pounds on a 6-foot-5 frame. The birth record reads September 3, 1963, in Wilmington, CA, USA. Plunk's full given name, per the bio, is Eric Vaughn Plunk.

The pitching table credits Plunk with a 72-58 record and a 3.82 ERA in 714 games. Also on Plunk's record: 1,081 strikeouts and 35 saves. The leagues Plunk pitched in allowed 4.19 earned runs per nine over those seasons, so the career ERA was 8.8% better than average. No season topped the 9 wins of 1992. 1991 produced Plunk's most strikeouts, 103. Plunk saved 15 games in 1993, the season high.

Frequently Asked Questions about Eric Plunk

What years did Eric Plunk play?
Eric Plunk played in Major League Baseball from 1986 to 1999.
Was Eric Plunk a pitcher?
Yes. Eric Plunk pitched in the major leagues, recording 72 wins and 1081 strikeouts.
How many home runs did Eric Plunk hit?
Eric Plunk hit 0 career home runs.
What was Eric Plunk's career batting average?
Eric Plunk batted .000 over his career, with 0 hits in 2 at bats.
What was Eric Plunk's career ERA?
Eric Plunk finished with a 3.82 career ERA, going 72-58 with 1,081 strikeouts.
How many strikeouts did Eric Plunk have?
Eric Plunk recorded 1,081 career strikeouts.