Dennis Eckersley vs Craig Kimbrel: Career Stats Comparison
Dennis Eckersley 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). Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998 as a pitcher; Craig Kimbrel has played 2010–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
Dennis Eckersley (1975–1998) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) — breaking in during the 1970s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Dennis Eckersley finished with 197 wins and 2,401 strikeouts; Craig Kimbrel has 57 wins and 1,322 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Dennis Eckersley's 3.50.
- Who won more games? Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Craig Kimbrel's 1,322.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Dennis Eckersley's 1.16.
- Who pitched more innings? Dennis Eckersley, with 3,285.2 to Craig Kimbrel's 867.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Dennis Eckersley, with 20 to Craig Kimbrel's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Dennis Eckersley, with 41,139 career Pitcher PIV to Craig Kimbrel's 30,862.
Dennis Eckersley
Craig Kimbrel
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 1970s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Craig Kimbrel is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Dennis Eckersley | Craig Kimbrel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 197 | 57 |
| Losses not scored | 171 | 53 |
| Games | Leads: 1,071 | 897 |
| Games Started | Leads: 361 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 100 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 20 | 0 |
| Saves | 390 | Leads: 441 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,401 | 1,322 |
| Walks not scored | 738 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,076 | 532 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 347 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,285.2 | 867.2 |
| ERA | 3.50 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 6.58 | Leads: 13.71 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 3.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Dennis Eckersley leads Craig Kimbrel 41,139 to 30,862 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Dennis Eckersley played 25 seasons to Craig Kimbrel's 18, while Craig Kimbrel carries the higher per-season figure (1,715 to 1,646). 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).
Dennis Eckersley — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Craig Kimbrel
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Dennis Eckersley leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Craig Kimbrel owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Dennis Eckersley. PIV agrees: Dennis Eckersley grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Dennis Eckersley and Craig Kimbrel careers compare
No season is shared: Dennis Eckersley played 1975–1998, Craig Kimbrel 2010–present. The two careers are close in length, 1,071 games for Dennis Eckersley and 897 for Craig Kimbrel across 25 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Craig Kimbrel are saves (441 to 390), ERA (2.69 to 3.50), and WHIP (1.04 to 1.16). By rate, Dennis Eckersley struck out 6.58 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.71 and walked 3.82. Dennis Eckersley split time between starting and relief (361 starts in 1,071 games), while Craig Kimbrel worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 897 games, 441 saves). Because Craig Kimbrel is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Dennis Eckersley vs Craig Kimbrel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Dennis Eckersley or Craig Kimbrel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Dennis Eckersley leads Craig Kimbrel in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Dennis Eckersley's 3.50.
- Who won more games?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 197 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Dennis Eckersley, with 2,401 to Craig Kimbrel's 1,322.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Dennis Eckersley's 1.16.