Don Drysdale vs George Kirby: Career Stats Comparison
Don Drysdale has the better career line of the two, leading 10 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Don Drysdale played 1956–1969 as a pitcher; George Kirby has played 2022–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
Don Drysdale (1956–1969) and George Kirby (2022–present) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Don Drysdale finished with 209 wins and 2,486 strikeouts; George Kirby has 54 wins and 769 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games? Don Drysdale, with 209 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Drysdale, with 1.15 to George Kirby's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Don Drysdale, with 3,432.0 to George Kirby's 812.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Don Drysdale, with 49 to George Kirby's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Don Drysdale, with 57,464 career Pitcher PIV to George Kirby's 14,778.
Don Drysdale
George Kirby
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 1950s and the 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
George Kirby is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Don Drysdale | George Kirby |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 209 | 54 |
| Losses not scored | 166 | 45 |
| Games | Leads: 518 | 142 |
| Games Started | Leads: 465 | 142 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 167 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 49 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 6 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,486 | 769 |
| Walks not scored | 855 | 140 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,084 | 813 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 280 | 94 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,432.0 | 812.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.95 | 3.74 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.15 | 1.17 |
| K/9 | 6.52 | Leads: 8.52 |
| BB/9 | 2.24 | Leads: 1.55 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Don Drysdale outpaces George Kirby 57,464 to 14,778 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,105 PIV per season to 3,695, across 14 seasons to 4. 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).
Don Drysdale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
George Kirby — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Don Drysdale leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while George Kirby owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Don Drysdale. PIV agrees: Don Drysdale grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Don Drysdale and George Kirby careers compare
Don Drysdale (1956–1969) was finished before George Kirby (2022–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Don Drysdale appeared in 518 games to George Kirby's 142. George Kirby's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (8.52 to 6.52) and walks per nine (1.55 to 2.24). By rate, Don Drysdale struck out 6.52 and walked 2.24 per nine innings; George Kirby struck out 8.52 and walked 1.55. Don Drysdale was mainly a starter (465 starts in 518 games), and George Kirby was mainly a starter (142 starts in 142 games). Because George Kirby is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Don Drysdale vs George Kirby: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Don Drysdale or George Kirby?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Don Drysdale leads George Kirby in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Don Drysdale, with 2.95 to George Kirby's 3.74.
- Who won more games?
- Don Drysdale, with 209 to George Kirby's 54.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Don Drysdale, with 2,486 to George Kirby's 769.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Drysdale, with 1.15 to George Kirby's 1.17.