Jacob deGrom vs Clayton Kershaw: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw has the better career line of the two, leading 5 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Jacob deGrom has played 2014–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
Jacob deGrom (2014–present) and Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) — they debuted in the 2010s and the 2000s respectively and share 12 seasons. Jacob deGrom has 107 wins and 2,052 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 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Jacob deGrom's 2.73.
- Who won more games? Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Clayton Kershaw's 1.02.
- How many innings did each pitch? Jacob deGrom 1,702.1, Clayton Kershaw 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 15 to Jacob deGrom's 2.
Jacob deGrom
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 | Jacob deGrom | Clayton Kershaw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 107 | Leads: 223 |
| Losses not scored | 76 | 96 |
| Games not scored | 279 | 455 |
| Games Started not scored | 279 | 451 |
| Complete Games | 4 | Leads: 25 |
| Shutouts | 2 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,052 | Leads: 3,052 |
| Walks not scored | 391 | 713 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,312 | 2,193 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 166 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 1,702.1 | 2,855.1 |
| ERA | 2.73 | Leads: 2.53 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.00 | 1.02 |
| K/9 | Leads: 10.85 | 9.62 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.07 | 2.25 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Jacob deGrom 93,455 to 63,135 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,192 PIV per season to 4,856, 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).
Jacob deGrom — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Clayton Kershaw leads 5 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Jacob deGrom leads 3: WHIP, strikeouts per nine, and walks 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 Jacob deGrom and Clayton Kershaw careers compare
Jacob deGrom and Clayton Kershaw were active at the same time between 2014 and 2025. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Jacob deGrom has appeared in 279 games to Clayton Kershaw's 455. Where Jacob deGrom comes out ahead, it is in WHIP (1.00 to 1.02), strikeouts per nine (10.85 to 9.62), and walks per nine (2.07 to 2.25). The per-nine rows read 10.85 strikeouts and 2.07 walks for Jacob deGrom, 9.62 and 2.25 for Clayton Kershaw. Jacob deGrom was mainly a starter (279 starts in 279 games), and Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games). In WHIP, Jacob deGrom's 1.00 beats Clayton Kershaw's 1.02. Jacob deGrom's totals run through the 2026 season.
Jacob deGrom vs Clayton Kershaw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Jacob deGrom or Clayton Kershaw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Clayton Kershaw leads Jacob deGrom in 5 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Jacob deGrom's 2.73.
- Who won more games?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Jacob deGrom's 107.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Jacob deGrom's 2,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jacob deGrom, with 1.00 to Clayton Kershaw's 1.02.