Neftali Feliz vs Craig Kimbrel: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Kimbrel 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). Neftali Feliz played 2009–2021 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
Neftali Feliz (2009–2021) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Neftali Feliz finished with 21 wins and 366 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 Neftali Feliz's 3.55.
- Who won more games? Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Neftali Feliz's 21.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Neftali Feliz's 366.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Neftali Feliz's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Craig Kimbrel, with 867.2 to Neftali Feliz's 393.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Craig Kimbrel, with 30,862 career Pitcher PIV to Neftali Feliz's 345.
Neftali Feliz
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 2000s 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 | Neftali Feliz | Craig Kimbrel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 21 | Leads: 57 |
| Losses not scored | 20 | 53 |
| Games | 362 | Leads: 897 |
| Games Started | Leads: 7 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 107 | Leads: 441 |
| Strikeouts | 366 | Leads: 1,322 |
| Walks not scored | 155 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 293 | 532 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 46 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched | 393.1 | Leads: 867.2 |
| ERA | 3.55 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.14 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 8.37 | Leads: 13.71 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.55 | 3.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Kimbrel outpaces Neftali Feliz 30,862 to 345 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,715 PIV per season to 27, across 18 seasons to 13. 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).
Neftali Feliz
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Craig Kimbrel
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Craig Kimbrel leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Neftali Feliz owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Craig Kimbrel. PIV agrees: Craig Kimbrel grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Neftali Feliz and Craig Kimbrel careers compare
From 2010 through 2021, Neftali Feliz and Craig Kimbrel were in the majors together. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Neftali Feliz appeared in 362 games to Craig Kimbrel's 897. Neftali Feliz's edges on the table are starts (7 to 0), complete games (1 to 0), and walks per nine (3.55 to 3.82). The per-nine rows read 8.37 strikeouts and 3.55 walks for Neftali Feliz, 13.71 and 3.82 for Craig Kimbrel. Both had the same role: Neftali Feliz worked mostly in relief (7 starts in 362 games, 107 saves); 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.
Neftali Feliz vs Craig Kimbrel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Neftali Feliz or Craig Kimbrel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Kimbrel leads Neftali Feliz in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Neftali Feliz's 3.55.
- Who won more games?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Neftali Feliz's 21.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Neftali Feliz's 366.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Neftali Feliz's 1.14.