Steve Carlton vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 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
Steve Carlton (1965–1988) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 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? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Lefty Grove's 300.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP? Steve Carlton, with 1.25 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Lefty Grove's 3,940.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Lefty Grove's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Steve Carlton's 76,502.
Steve Carlton
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 1960s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 300 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 141 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 616 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 457 |
| Complete Games | 254 | Leads: 298 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 35 |
| Saves | 2 | Leads: 55 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 2,266 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 3,940.2 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.25 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.13 | 5.18 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.71 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove edges Steve Carlton 81,321 to 76,502 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 2,833 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Steve Carlton's 27. 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).
Steve Carlton — 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, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Lefty Grove owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. Note that PIV actually grades Lefty Grove ahead, which means Steve Carlton's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Lefty Grove careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Lefty Grove's ended in 1941, and Steve Carlton debuted in 1965. The two careers are close in length, 741 games for Steve Carlton and 616 for Lefty Grove across 27 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Lefty Grove's edges on the table are complete games (298 to 254), saves (55 to 2), and ERA (3.06 to 3.22). By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games).
Steve Carlton vs Lefty Grove: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Lefty Grove?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Lefty Grove in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Lefty Grove's 300.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Steve Carlton, with 1.25 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.