Aroldis Chapman vs Craig Kimbrel: Career Stats Comparison
Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel are close to even, splitting the 6 scored categories on this page 3–3 (10 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Aroldis Chapman has played 2010–present as a pitcher; Craig Kimbrel has played 2010–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
Aroldis Chapman (2010–present) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) — both debuted in the 2010s. Aroldis Chapman has 63 wins and 1,402 strikeouts through the 2026 season; Craig Kimbrel has 57 wins and 1,322 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 6 scored categories 3–3.
- Who had more saves? Craig Kimbrel, with 441 to Aroldis Chapman's 402.
- Who had the better ERA? Aroldis Chapman, with 2.48 to Craig Kimbrel's 2.69.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Aroldis Chapman, with 1,402 to Craig Kimbrel's 1,322.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Aroldis Chapman's 1.08.
- Who struck out more batters per nine innings? Aroldis Chapman, with 14.45 to Craig Kimbrel's 13.71.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Aroldis Chapman, with 38,498 career Pitcher PIV to Craig Kimbrel's 30,928.
Aroldis Chapman
Craig Kimbrel
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. 6 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 10 are shown but not scored. Both worked mainly in relief, so saves and strikeouts are scored and wins, complete games and shutouts are not. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Aroldis Chapman | Craig Kimbrel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins not scored | 63 | 57 |
| Losses not scored | 52 | 53 |
| Games not scored | 916 | 897 |
| Games Started not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Complete Games not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 402 | Leads: 441 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,402 | 1,322 |
| Walks not scored | 431 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 510 | 532 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 57 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 873.0 | 867.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.48 | 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.08 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | Leads: 14.45 | 13.71 |
| BB/9 | 4.44 | Leads: 3.82 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Aroldis Chapman leads Craig Kimbrel 38,498 to 30,928 — driven by per-season impact — 2,265 PIV per season to 1,819 — rather than by longevity, since Aroldis Chapman played 17 seasons to Craig Kimbrel's 17. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (40+ innings).
Aroldis Chapman — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Craig Kimbrel — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel split the 6 scored categories on the head-to-head card 3-3. Both are scored as relievers. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Aroldis Chapman higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel careers compare
The two careers overlap from 2010 on, with both players still active. With 916 games against 897 across 17 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Craig Kimbrel's edges on the table are saves (441 to 402), WHIP (1.04 to 1.08), and walks per nine (3.82 to 4.44). The per-nine rows read 14.45 strikeouts and 4.44 walks for Aroldis Chapman, 13.71 and 3.82 for Craig Kimbrel. Both had the same role: Aroldis Chapman worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 916 games, 402 saves); Craig Kimbrel worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 897 games, 441 saves). Craig Kimbrel allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to Aroldis Chapman's 1.08. Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel's totals run through the 2026 season.
Aroldis Chapman vs Craig Kimbrel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Aroldis Chapman or Craig Kimbrel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 6 scored categories 3–3.
- Who had more saves?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 441 to Aroldis Chapman's 402.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Aroldis Chapman, with 2.48 to Craig Kimbrel's 2.69.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Aroldis Chapman, with 1,402 to Craig Kimbrel's 1,322.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Aroldis Chapman's 1.08.