Rollie Fingers vs Craig Kimbrel: Career Stats Comparison
Rollie Fingers has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985 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
Rollie Fingers (1968–1985) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) — breaking in during the 1960s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Rollie Fingers finished with 114 wins and 1,299 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 Rollie Fingers's 2.90.
- Who won more games? Rollie Fingers, with 114 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Rollie Fingers's 1,299.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Rollie Fingers's 1.16.
- Who pitched more innings? Rollie Fingers, with 1,701.1 to Craig Kimbrel's 867.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Rollie Fingers, with 2 to Craig Kimbrel's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Rollie Fingers, with 33,082 career Pitcher PIV to Craig Kimbrel's 30,862.
Rollie Fingers
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 1960s 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 | Rollie Fingers | Craig Kimbrel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 114 | 57 |
| Losses not scored | 118 | 53 |
| Games | Leads: 944 | 897 |
| Games Started | Leads: 37 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 2 | 0 |
| Saves | 341 | Leads: 441 |
| Strikeouts | 1,299 | Leads: 1,322 |
| Walks not scored | 492 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,474 | 532 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 123 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,701.1 | 867.2 |
| ERA | 2.90 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.16 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 6.87 | Leads: 13.71 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.60 | 3.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rollie Fingers edges Craig Kimbrel 33,082 to 30,862 — driven by per-season impact — 1,946 PIV per season to 1,715 — rather than by longevity, since Rollie Fingers played 17 seasons to Craig Kimbrel'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).
Rollie Fingers — 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, Craig Kimbrel leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Rollie Fingers owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Craig Kimbrel. Note that PIV actually grades Rollie Fingers ahead, which means Craig Kimbrel's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rollie Fingers and Craig Kimbrel careers compare
No season is shared: Rollie Fingers played 1968–1985, Craig Kimbrel 2010–present. With 944 games against 897 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Rollie Fingers struck out 6.87 and walked 2.60 per nine innings; Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.71 and walked 3.82. Both had the same role: Rollie Fingers worked mostly in relief (37 starts in 944 games, 341 saves); Craig Kimbrel worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 897 games, 441 saves). Craig Kimbrel allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to Rollie Fingers's 1.16. Craig Kimbrel has no qualifying season for the peak list, while Rollie Fingers's best is 1973. Because Craig Kimbrel is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Rollie Fingers vs Craig Kimbrel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rollie Fingers or Craig Kimbrel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rollie Fingers leads Craig Kimbrel in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Rollie Fingers's 2.90.
- Who won more games?
- Rollie Fingers, with 114 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Rollie Fingers's 1,299.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Rollie Fingers's 1.16.