Whitey Ford vs Clayton Kershaw: Career Stats Comparison
Whitey Ford and Clayton Kershaw are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Whitey Ford played 1950–1967 as a pitcher; Clayton Kershaw played 2008–2025 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
Whitey Ford (1950–1967) and Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Whitey Ford finished with 236 wins and 1,956 strikeouts; Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Whitey Ford's 2.75.
- Who won more games? Whitey Ford, with 236 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Whitey Ford's 1,956.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Whitey Ford's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Whitey Ford, with 3,170.1 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Whitey Ford, with 45 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Whitey Ford's 47,870.
Whitey Ford
Clayton Kershaw
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 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Whitey Ford | Clayton Kershaw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 236 | 223 |
| Losses not scored | 106 | 96 |
| Games | Leads: 498 | 455 |
| Games Started | 438 | Leads: 451 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 156 | 25 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 45 | 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 10 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 1,956 | Leads: 3,052 |
| Walks not scored | 1,086 | 713 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,766 | 2,193 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 228 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,170.1 | 2,855.1 |
| ERA | 2.75 | Leads: 2.53 |
| WHIP | 1.22 | Leads: 1.02 |
| K/9 | 5.55 | Leads: 9.62 |
| BB/9 | 3.08 | Leads: 2.25 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Whitey Ford 93,455 to 47,870 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,192 PIV per season to 2,992, across 18 seasons to 16. 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).
Whitey Ford — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Whitey Ford owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Clayton Kershaw. PIV agrees: Clayton Kershaw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Whitey Ford and Clayton Kershaw careers compare
Whitey Ford (1950–1967) was finished before Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 498 games against 455 across 16 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Whitey Ford struck out 5.55 and walked 3.08 per nine innings; Clayton Kershaw struck out 9.62 and walked 2.25. Whitey Ford was mainly a starter (438 starts in 498 games), and Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games). The complete-game row, 156 against 25, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. In WHIP, Clayton Kershaw's 1.02 beats Whitey Ford's 1.22.
Whitey Ford vs Clayton Kershaw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Whitey Ford's 2.75.
- Who won more games?
- Whitey Ford, with 236 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Whitey Ford's 1,956.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Whitey Ford's 1.22.