Shane Bieber vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove 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). Shane Bieber has played 2018–present 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
Shane Bieber (2018–present) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Shane Bieber has 71 wins and 1,039 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; 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? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Shane Bieber's 3.31.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Shane Bieber's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Shane Bieber's 1,039.
- Who had the better WHIP? Shane Bieber, with 1.13 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to Shane Bieber's 939.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Shane Bieber's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Shane Bieber's 25,160.
Shane Bieber
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 2010s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Shane Bieber is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Shane Bieber | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 71 | Leads: 300 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 141 |
| Games | 154 | Leads: 616 |
| Games Started | 152 | Leads: 457 |
| Complete Games | 5 | Leads: 298 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 35 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 55 |
| Strikeouts | 1,039 | Leads: 2,266 |
| Walks not scored | 219 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 841 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 112 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | 939.0 | Leads: 3,940.2 |
| ERA | 3.31 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.13 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.96 | 5.18 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.10 | 2.71 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Shane Bieber 81,321 to 25,160 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,784 PIV per season to 3,145, across 17 seasons to 8. 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).
Shane Bieber — 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, Lefty Grove leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Shane Bieber owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Shane Bieber and Lefty Grove careers compare
Lefty Grove (1925–1941) was finished before Shane Bieber (2018–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The table compares 154 games of Shane Bieber with 616 of Lefty Grove across 8 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Shane Bieber are WHIP (1.13 to 1.28), strikeouts per nine (9.96 to 5.18), and walks per nine (2.10 to 2.71). By rate, Shane Bieber struck out 9.96 and walked 2.10 per nine innings; Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71. Shane Bieber was mainly a starter (152 starts in 154 games), and Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games). Shane Bieber's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Shane Bieber vs Lefty Grove: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Shane Bieber or Lefty Grove?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Shane Bieber in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Shane Bieber's 3.31.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Shane Bieber's 71.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Shane Bieber's 1,039.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Shane Bieber, with 1.13 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.