Steve Carlton vs George Kirby: Career Stats Comparison
Steve Carlton 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). Steve Carlton played 1965–1988 as a pitcher; George Kirby has played 2022–present 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 George Kirby (2022–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Steve Carlton finished with 329 wins and 4,136 strikeouts; George Kirby has 54 wins and 769 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Steve Carlton, with 329 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? George Kirby, with 1.17 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.
- Who pitched more innings? Steve Carlton, with 5,217.1 to George Kirby's 812.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Steve Carlton, with 55 to George Kirby's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Steve Carlton, with 76,502 career Pitcher PIV to George Kirby's 14,778.
Steve Carlton
George Kirby
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 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
George Kirby is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Steve Carlton | George Kirby |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 329 | 54 |
| Losses not scored | 244 | 45 |
| Games | Leads: 741 | 142 |
| Games Started | Leads: 709 | 142 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 254 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 55 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,136 | 769 |
| Walks not scored | 1,833 | 140 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,672 | 813 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 414 | 94 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 5,217.1 | 812.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.22 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | 1.25 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | 7.13 | Leads: 8.52 |
| BB/9 | 3.16 | Leads: 1.55 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Steve Carlton outpaces George Kirby 76,502 to 14,778 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Steve Carlton played 27 seasons to George Kirby's 4, while George Kirby carries the higher per-season figure (3,695 to 2,833). 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)
George Kirby — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Steve Carlton leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while George Kirby owns WHIP and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Steve Carlton. PIV agrees: Steve Carlton 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 George Kirby careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Steve Carlton's ended in 1988, and George Kirby debuted in 2022. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Steve Carlton appeared in 741 games to George Kirby's 142. The green cells for George Kirby are WHIP (1.17 to 1.25), strikeouts per nine (8.52 to 7.13), and walks per nine (1.55 to 3.16). By rate, Steve Carlton struck out 7.13 and walked 3.16 per nine innings; George Kirby struck out 8.52 and walked 1.55. Steve Carlton was mainly a starter (709 starts in 741 games), and George Kirby was mainly a starter (142 starts in 142 games). George Kirby's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Steve Carlton vs George Kirby: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Steve Carlton or George Kirby?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Steve Carlton leads George Kirby in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Steve Carlton, with 3.22 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Steve Carlton, with 329 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Steve Carlton, with 4,136 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- George Kirby, with 1.17 to Steve Carlton's 1.25.