Emmanuel Clase vs Craig Kimbrel: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Kimbrel has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Emmanuel Clase played 2019–2025 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
Emmanuel Clase (2019–2025) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Emmanuel Clase finished with 21 wins and 349 strikeouts; Craig Kimbrel has 57 wins and 1,322 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Emmanuel Clase, with 1.88 to Craig Kimbrel's 2.69.
- Who won more games? Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Emmanuel Clase's 21.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Emmanuel Clase's 349.
- Who had the better WHIP? Emmanuel Clase, with 0.94 to Craig Kimbrel's 1.04.
- Who pitched more innings? Craig Kimbrel, with 867.2 to Emmanuel Clase's 360.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Craig Kimbrel, with 30,862 career Pitcher PIV to Emmanuel Clase's 15,946.
Emmanuel Clase
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. 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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Craig Kimbrel is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Emmanuel Clase | Craig Kimbrel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 21 | Leads: 57 |
| Losses not scored | 26 | 53 |
| Games | 366 | Leads: 897 |
| Games Started | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 182 | Leads: 441 |
| Strikeouts | 349 | Leads: 1,322 |
| Walks not scored | 70 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 267 | 532 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 15 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched | 360.0 | Leads: 867.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 1.88 | 2.69 |
| WHIP | Leads: 0.94 | 1.04 |
| K/9 | 8.72 | Leads: 13.71 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.75 | 3.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Kimbrel outpaces Emmanuel Clase 30,862 to 15,946 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Craig Kimbrel played 18 seasons to Emmanuel Clase's 6, while Emmanuel Clase carries the higher per-season figure (2,658 to 1,715). 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).
Emmanuel Clase
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Craig Kimbrel
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Craig Kimbrel leads in wins, strikeouts, K/9, and innings pitched, while Emmanuel Clase owns ERA and WHIP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Craig Kimbrel. PIV agrees: Craig Kimbrel grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Emmanuel Clase and Craig Kimbrel careers compare
The careers of Emmanuel Clase (2019–2025) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) overlapped from 2019 to 2025, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 366 games of Emmanuel Clase with 897 of Craig Kimbrel across 6 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Emmanuel Clase comes out ahead, it is in starts (1 to 0), ERA (1.88 to 2.69), and WHIP (0.94 to 1.04). By rate, Emmanuel Clase struck out 8.72 and walked 1.75 per nine innings; Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.71 and walked 3.82. Because Craig Kimbrel is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Emmanuel Clase vs Craig Kimbrel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Emmanuel Clase or Craig Kimbrel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Kimbrel leads Emmanuel Clase in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Emmanuel Clase, with 1.88 to Craig Kimbrel's 2.69.
- Who won more games?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Emmanuel Clase's 21.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Emmanuel Clase's 349.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Emmanuel Clase, with 0.94 to Craig Kimbrel's 1.04.