Gerrit Cole vs Zack Greinke: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Gerrit Cole has played 2013–present as a pitcher; Zack Greinke has played 2004–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
Gerrit Cole (2013–present) and Zack Greinke (2004–present) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gerrit Cole compiled 153 wins and 2,251 strikeouts; Zack Greinke put up 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Gerrit Cole, with 3.18 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Gerrit Cole's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Gerrit Cole's 2,251.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389 to Gerrit Cole's 1,954.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to Gerrit Cole's 50,909.
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Gerrit Cole | Zack Greinke |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 153 | Leads: 225 |
| Losses | 80 | 156 |
| Games | 317 | Leads: 586 |
| Games Started | 317 | Leads: 541 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 17 |
| Shutouts | 5 | 5 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,251 | Leads: 2,979 |
| Walks | 500 | 762 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,627 | 3,207 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 217 | 367 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,954 | Leads: 3,389 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.18 | 3.49 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.37 | 7.91 |
| BB/9 | 2.30 | Leads: 2.02 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke leads Gerrit Cole 58,246 to 50,909 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,648 vs 4,242 per year). 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
On the head-to-head card, Zack Greinke leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Gerrit Cole owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
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 8 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Gerrit Cole, with 3.18 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Gerrit Cole's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Gerrit Cole's 2,251.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.