Gerrit Cole vs Clayton Kershaw: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Gerrit Cole has played 2013–present as a pitcher; Clayton Kershaw has played 2008–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 Clayton Kershaw (2008–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; Clayton Kershaw put up 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Gerrit Cole's 3.18.
- Who won more games? Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Gerrit Cole's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Gerrit Cole's 2,251.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Gerrit Cole's 1.09.
- Who pitched more innings? Clayton Kershaw, with 2,855 to Gerrit Cole's 1,954.
- Who threw more shutouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 15 to Gerrit Cole's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Gerrit Cole's 50,909.
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. 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 | Clayton Kershaw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 153 | Leads: 223 |
| Losses | 80 | 96 |
| Games | 317 | Leads: 455 |
| Games Started | 317 | Leads: 451 |
| Complete Games | 8 | Leads: 25 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,251 | Leads: 3,052 |
| Walks | 500 | 713 |
| Hits Allowed | 1,627 | 2,193 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 217 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched | 1,954 | Leads: 2,855 |
| ERA | 3.18 | Leads: 2.53 |
| WHIP | 1.09 | Leads: 1.02 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.37 | 9.62 |
| BB/9 | 2.30 | Leads: 2.25 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Gerrit Cole 93,455 to 50,909 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,192 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)
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Gerrit Cole owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but 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
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 10 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Gerrit Cole's 3.18.
- Who won more games?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Gerrit Cole's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Gerrit Cole's 2,251.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Gerrit Cole's 1.09.