Pete Alexander vs Burleigh Grimes: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 12 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Pete Alexander played 1911–1930 as a pitcher; Burleigh Grimes played 1916–1934 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
Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Burleigh Grimes (1916–1934) — both came up during the 1910s, so the matchup is a direct one. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Burleigh Grimes finished with 270 wins and 1,512 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Burleigh Grimes's 270.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Burleigh Grimes's 1,512.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Burleigh Grimes's 4,180.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Burleigh Grimes's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Pete Alexander, with 75,743 career Pitcher PIV to Burleigh Grimes's 18,821.
Pete Alexander
Burleigh Grimes
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 | Pete Alexander | Burleigh Grimes |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 270 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 212 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 616 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 497 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 314 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 35 |
| Saves | Leads: 32 | 18 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,198 | 1,512 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,295 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 4,412 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 148 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 4,180.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.37 |
| K/9 | Leads: 3.81 | 3.26 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.79 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Pete Alexander outpaces Burleigh Grimes 75,743 to 18,821 — driven by per-season impact — 3,607 PIV per season to 818 — rather than by longevity, since Pete Alexander played 21 seasons to Burleigh Grimes's 23. 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).
Pete Alexander — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Burleigh Grimes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Burleigh Grimes owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. PIV agrees: Pete Alexander grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Burleigh Grimes careers compare
From 1916 through 1930, Pete Alexander and Burleigh Grimes were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 696 games for Pete Alexander and 616 for Burleigh Grimes across 21 and 23 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Every scored category on the table goes to Pete Alexander. The per-nine rows read 3.81 strikeouts and 1.65 walks for Pete Alexander, 3.26 and 2.79 for Burleigh Grimes. Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games), and Burleigh Grimes was mainly a starter (497 starts in 616 games). Pete Alexander allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.12 WHIP to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
Pete Alexander vs Burleigh Grimes: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Burleigh Grimes?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Burleigh Grimes in 12 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Burleigh Grimes's 270.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Pete Alexander, with 2,198 to Burleigh Grimes's 1,512.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.