Bob Feller vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove 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). Bob Feller played 1936–1956 as a pitcher; Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 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
Bob Feller (1936–1956) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — breaking in during the 1930s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Feller finished with 266 wins and 2,581 strikeouts; Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP? Lefty Grove, with 1.28 to Bob Feller's 1.32.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to Bob Feller's 3,827.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Feller, with 44 to Lefty Grove's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Feller's 48,739.
Bob Feller
Lefty Grove
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 1930s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Bob Feller | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 266 | Leads: 300 |
| Losses not scored | 162 | 141 |
| Games | 570 | Leads: 616 |
| Games Started | Leads: 484 | 457 |
| Complete Games | 279 | Leads: 298 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 44 | 35 |
| Saves | 21 | Leads: 55 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,581 | 2,266 |
| Walks not scored | 1,764 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,271 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 224 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,827.0 | Leads: 3,940.2 |
| ERA | 3.25 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.32 | Leads: 1.28 |
| K/9 | Leads: 6.07 | 5.18 |
| BB/9 | 4.15 | Leads: 2.71 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Bob Feller 81,321 to 48,739 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 2,708 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Bob Feller's 18. 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).
Bob Feller — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Bob Feller owns strikeouts and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Feller and Lefty Grove careers compare
The careers of Bob Feller (1936–1956) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) overlapped from 1936 to 1941, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 570 games for Bob Feller and 616 for Lefty Grove across 18 and 17 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Bob Feller's edges on the table are starts (484 to 457), shutouts (44 to 35), and strikeouts (2,581 to 2,266). The per-nine rows read 6.07 strikeouts and 4.15 walks for Bob Feller, 5.18 and 2.71 for Lefty Grove.
Bob Feller vs Lefty Grove: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Feller or Lefty Grove?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Bob Feller in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Bob Feller's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Bob Feller's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Bob Feller, with 2,581 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Lefty Grove, with 1.28 to Bob Feller's 1.32.