Gerrit Cole vs Clayton Kershaw: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Clayton Kershaw played 2008–2025 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 Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) — they debuted in the 2010s and the 2000s respectively and share 13 seasons. Gerrit Cole has 163 wins and 2,382 strikeouts through the 2026 season; Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Clayton Kershaw, in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games? Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Gerrit Cole's 2,382.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Gerrit Cole's 1.09.
- How many innings did each pitch? Gerrit Cole 2,081.0, Clayton Kershaw 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 15 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
Gerrit Cole
Clayton Kershaw
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 | Clayton Kershaw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 163 | Leads: 223 |
| Losses not scored | 89 | 96 |
| Games not scored | 339 | 455 |
| Games Started not scored | 339 | 451 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 25 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,382 | Leads: 3,052 |
| Walks not scored | 525 | 713 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,742 | 2,193 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 239 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,081.0 | 2,855.1 |
| ERA | 3.20 | Leads: 2.53 |
| WHIP | 1.09 | Leads: 1.02 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.30 | 9.62 |
| BB/9 | 2.27 | Leads: 2.25 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Gerrit Cole 93,455 to 51,727 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,192 PIV per season to 3,979, across 18 seasons to 13. 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)
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Clayton Kershaw leads 7 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Gerrit Cole leads 1: strikeouts per nine. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Clayton Kershaw. PIV agrees: Clayton Kershaw 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 Clayton Kershaw careers compare
Gerrit Cole and Clayton Kershaw were active at the same time between 2013 and 2025. With 339 games against 455 across 13 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Gerrit Cole comes out ahead, it is in strikeouts per nine (10.30 to 9.62). The per-nine rows read 10.30 strikeouts and 2.27 walks for Gerrit Cole, 9.62 and 2.25 for Clayton Kershaw. Gerrit Cole was mainly a starter (339 starts in 339 games), and Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games). In WHIP, Clayton Kershaw's 1.02 beats Gerrit Cole's 1.09. Gerrit Cole's totals run through the 2026 season.
Gerrit Cole vs Clayton Kershaw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Gerrit Cole or Clayton Kershaw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Clayton Kershaw leads Gerrit Cole in 7 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Gerrit Cole's 3.20.
- Who won more games?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Gerrit Cole's 163.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Gerrit Cole's 2,382.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Gerrit Cole's 1.09.