Pete Alexander vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Pete Alexander has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 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 Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Pete Alexander finished with 373 wins and 2,198 strikeouts; Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 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 Lefty Grove's 3.06.
- Who won more games? Pete Alexander, with 373 to Lefty Grove's 300.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP? Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Pete Alexander, with 5,190.0 to Lefty Grove's 3,940.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Pete Alexander, with 90 to Lefty Grove's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Pete Alexander's 75,743.
Pete Alexander
Lefty Grove
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 1910s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Pete Alexander | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 373 | 300 |
| Losses not scored | 208 | 141 |
| Games | Leads: 696 | 616 |
| Games Started | Leads: 599 | 457 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 437 | 298 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 90 | 35 |
| Saves | 32 | Leads: 55 |
| Strikeouts | 2,198 | Leads: 2,266 |
| Walks not scored | 951 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,868 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 164 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,190.0 | 3,940.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.56 | 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.12 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 3.81 | Leads: 5.18 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.65 | 2.71 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove edges Pete Alexander 81,321 to 75,743 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 3,607 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Pete Alexander's 21. 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)
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Pete Alexander leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Lefty Grove owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Pete Alexander. Note that PIV actually grades Lefty Grove ahead, which means Pete Alexander's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Pete Alexander and Lefty Grove careers compare
The careers of Pete Alexander (1911–1930) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) overlapped from 1925 to 1930, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 696 games against 616 across 21 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lefty Grove's edges on the table are saves (55 to 32), strikeouts (2,266 to 2,198), and strikeouts per nine (5.18 to 3.81). By rate, Pete Alexander struck out 3.81 and walked 1.65 per nine innings; Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71. Pete Alexander was mainly a starter (599 starts in 696 games), and Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games).
Pete Alexander vs Lefty Grove: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Pete Alexander or Lefty Grove?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Pete Alexander leads Lefty Grove in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Pete Alexander, with 2.56 to Lefty Grove's 3.06.
- Who won more games?
- Pete Alexander, with 373 to Lefty Grove's 300.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Pete Alexander's 2,198.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Pete Alexander, with 1.12 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.