Steve Carlton vs Clayton Kershaw: 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; Clayton Kershaw played 2008–2025 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 Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Clayton Kershaw's 3,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Steve Carlton's 76,502.
Steve Carlton
Clayton Kershaw
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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | Clayton Kershaw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 223 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 96 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 455 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 451 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 25 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 3,052 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 713 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 2,193 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 2,855.1 |
| ERA | 3.22 | Leads: 2.53 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.02 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 9.62 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 2.25 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw leads Steve Carlton 93,455 to 76,502 — driven by per-season impact — 5,192 PIV per season to 2,833 — rather than by longevity, since Clayton Kershaw played 18 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)
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Steve Carlton owns wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Clayton Kershaw. PIV agrees: Clayton Kershaw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Steve Carlton and Clayton Kershaw careers compare
No season is shared: Steve Carlton played 1965–1988, Clayton Kershaw 2008–2025. The table compares 741 games of Steve Carlton with 455 of Clayton Kershaw across 27 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Clayton Kershaw are ERA (2.53 to 3.22), WHIP (1.02 to 1.25), and strikeouts per nine (9.62 to 7.13). By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; Clayton Kershaw struck out 9.62 and walked 2.25. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games).
Steve Carlton vs Clayton Kershaw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or Clayton Kershaw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads Clayton Kershaw in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Steve Carlton's 3.22.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to Clayton Kershaw's 3,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.