Gerrit Cole vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Gerrit Cole has played 2013–present as a pitcher; Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 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 Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to Gerrit Cole's 2,081.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Gerrit Cole's 50,909.
Gerrit Cole
Lefty Grove
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, and the 2010s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Gerrit Cole is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Gerrit Cole | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 300 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 141 |
| Games | 339 | Leads: 616 |
| Games Started | 339 | Leads: 457 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 298 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 35 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 55 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,382 | 2,266 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,081.0 | Leads: 3,940.2 |
| ERA | 3.20 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.09 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 5.18 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.27 | 2.71 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Gerrit Cole 81,321 to 50,909 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,784 PIV per season to 4,242, across 17 seasons to 12. 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).
Gerrit Cole — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, ERA, and innings pitched, while Gerrit Cole owns strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove 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 Lefty Grove careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Lefty Grove's ended in 1941, and Gerrit Cole debuted in 2013. The table compares 339 games of Gerrit Cole with 616 of Lefty Grove across 12 and 17 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Gerrit Cole's edges on the table are strikeouts (2,382 to 2,266), WHIP (1.09 to 1.28), and strikeouts per nine (10.30 to 5.18). By rate, Gerrit Cole struck out 10.30 and walked 2.27 per nine innings; Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71. Both had the same role: Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games); Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games). Because Gerrit Cole is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Gerrit Cole vs Lefty Grove: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Lefty Grove?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Gerrit Cole in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gerrit Cole, with 2,382 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gerrit Cole, with 1.09 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.