Roger Clemens vs Kenny Rogers: Career Stats Comparison
Roger Clemens has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Roger Clemens played 1984–2007 as a pitcher; Kenny Rogers played 1989–2008 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
Roger Clemens (1984–2007) and Kenny Rogers (1989–2008) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Roger Clemens finished with 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts; Kenny Rogers finished with 219 wins and 1,968 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Kenny Rogers's 4.27.
- Who won more games? Roger Clemens, with 354 to Kenny Rogers's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Kenny Rogers's 1,968.
- Who had the better WHIP? Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Kenny Rogers's 1.40.
- Who pitched more innings? Roger Clemens, with 4,916.2 to Kenny Rogers's 3,302.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Roger Clemens, with 46 to Kenny Rogers's 9.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Roger Clemens, with 146,187 career Pitcher PIV to Kenny Rogers's 615.
Roger Clemens
Kenny Rogers
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.
| Statistic | Roger Clemens | Kenny Rogers |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 354 | 219 |
| Losses not scored | 184 | 156 |
| Games | 709 | Leads: 762 |
| Games Started | Leads: 707 | 474 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 118 | 36 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 46 | 9 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 28 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 4,672 | 1,968 |
| Walks not scored | 1,580 | 1,175 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,185 | 3,457 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 363 | 339 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,916.2 | 3,302.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.12 | 4.27 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.40 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.55 | 5.36 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.89 | 3.20 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Roger Clemens outpaces Kenny Rogers 146,187 to 615 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 6,091 PIV per season to 29, across 24 seasons to 21. 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).
Roger Clemens — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Kenny Rogers — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Roger Clemens leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Kenny Rogers owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Roger Clemens. PIV agrees: Roger Clemens grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Roger Clemens and Kenny Rogers careers compare
Roger Clemens and Kenny Rogers were active at the same time between 1989 and 2007. With 709 games against 762 across 24 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Kenny Rogers's edges on the table are games (762 to 709) and saves (28 to 0). By rate, Roger Clemens struck out 8.55 and walked 2.89 per nine innings; Kenny Rogers struck out 5.36 and walked 3.20. Their roles differ: Roger Clemens was mainly a starter (707 starts in 709 games); Kenny Rogers split time between starting and relief (474 starts in 762 games). Complete games (118 to 36) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Roger Clemens vs Kenny Rogers: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Roger Clemens or Kenny Rogers?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Roger Clemens leads Kenny Rogers in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Roger Clemens, with 3.12 to Kenny Rogers's 4.27.
- Who won more games?
- Roger Clemens, with 354 to Kenny Rogers's 219.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Roger Clemens, with 4,672 to Kenny Rogers's 1,968.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Roger Clemens, with 1.17 to Kenny Rogers's 1.40.