Gerrit Cole vs Zack Greinke: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke has the better career line of the two, leading 4 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Gerrit Cole has played 2013–present as a pitcher; Zack Greinke played 2004–2023 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
Gerrit Cole (2013–present) and Zack Greinke (2004–2023) — they debuted in the 2010s and the 2000s respectively and share 11 seasons. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through the 2026 season; Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Zack Greinke, in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Gerrit Cole's 2,382.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- How many innings did each pitch? Gerrit Cole 2,081.0, Zack Greinke 3,389.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 5.
Gerrit Cole
Zack Greinke
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. 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 | Gerrit Cole | Zack Greinke |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 225 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 156 |
| Games not scored | 339 | 586 |
| Games Started not scored | 339 | 541 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 17 |
| Shutouts | 5 | 5 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,382 | Leads: 2,979 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 762 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 3,207 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 367 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,081.0 | 3,389.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.20 | 3.49 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 7.91 |
| BB/9 | 2.27 | Leads: 2.02 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke leads Gerrit Cole 58,246 to 51,727 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Greinke played 20 seasons to Gerrit Cole's 13, while Gerrit Cole carries the higher per-season figure (3,979 to 2,912). 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 (120+ innings).
Gerrit Cole — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Zack Greinke — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Zack Greinke leads 4 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, strikeouts, and walks per nine. Gerrit Cole leads 3: ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts per nine. 1 is tied. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Greinke. PIV agrees: Zack Greinke grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke careers compare
The careers of Gerrit Cole (2013–present) and Zack Greinke (2004–2023) overlapped from 2013 to 2023, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Zack Greinke has the far longer record, 586 games against 339 across 13 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Gerrit Cole's edges on the table are ERA (3.20 to 3.49), WHIP (1.09 to 1.17), and strikeouts per nine (10.30 to 7.91). By rate, Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27 per nine innings; Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02. Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games), and Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games). Gerrit Cole's totals run through the 2026 season.
Gerrit Cole vs Zack Greinke: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Zack Greinke?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Gerrit Cole in 4 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.20 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Gerrit Cole's 2,382.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.