Corbin Burnes vs John Clarkson: Career Stats Comparison
John Clarkson has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Corbin Burnes has played 2018–present as a pitcher; John Clarkson played 1882–1894 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
Corbin Burnes (2018–present) and John Clarkson (1882–1894) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1880s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Corbin Burnes has 63 wins and 1,122 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; John Clarkson finished with 328 wins and 1,978 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? John Clarkson, with 2.81 to Corbin Burnes's 3.20.
- Who won more games? John Clarkson, with 328 to Corbin Burnes's 63.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? John Clarkson, with 1,978 to Corbin Burnes's 1,122.
- Who had the better WHIP? Corbin Burnes, with 1.08 to John Clarkson's 1.21.
- Who pitched more innings? John Clarkson, with 4,536.1 to Corbin Burnes's 978.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? John Clarkson, with 37 to Corbin Burnes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Clarkson, with 36,438 career Pitcher PIV to Corbin Burnes's 23,443.
Corbin Burnes
John Clarkson
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 1880s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Corbin Burnes is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Corbin Burnes | John Clarkson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 63 | Leads: 328 |
| Losses not scored | 38 | 178 |
| Games | 213 | Leads: 531 |
| Games Started | 152 | Leads: 518 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 485 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 37 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 5 |
| Strikeouts | 1,122 | Leads: 1,978 |
| Walks not scored | 284 | 1,191 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 768 | 4,295 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 109 | 159 |
| Innings Pitched | 978.1 | Leads: 4,536.1 |
| ERA | 3.20 | Leads: 2.81 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.08 | 1.21 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.32 | 3.92 |
| BB/9 | 2.61 | Leads: 2.36 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Clarkson outpaces Corbin Burnes 36,438 to 23,443 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: John Clarkson played 13 seasons to Corbin Burnes's 8, while Corbin Burnes carries the higher per-season figure (2,930 to 2,803). 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).
Corbin Burnes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Clarkson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, John Clarkson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Corbin Burnes owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to John Clarkson. PIV agrees: John Clarkson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Corbin Burnes and John Clarkson careers compare
John Clarkson (1882–1894) was finished before Corbin Burnes (2018–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. John Clarkson has the far longer record, 531 games against 213 across 8 and 13 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The green cells for Corbin Burnes are WHIP (1.08 to 1.21) and strikeouts per nine (10.32 to 3.92). The per-nine rows read 10.32 strikeouts and 2.61 walks for Corbin Burnes, 3.92 and 2.36 for John Clarkson. Both had the same role: Corbin Burnes was mainly a starter (152 starts in 213 games); John Clarkson was mainly a starter (518 starts in 531 games). Corbin Burnes's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Corbin Burnes vs John Clarkson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Corbin Burnes or John Clarkson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, John Clarkson leads Corbin Burnes in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Clarkson, with 2.81 to Corbin Burnes's 3.20.
- Who won more games?
- John Clarkson, with 328 to Corbin Burnes's 63.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- John Clarkson, with 1,978 to Corbin Burnes's 1,122.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Corbin Burnes, with 1.08 to John Clarkson's 1.21.