Tom Glavine vs Clayton Kershaw: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 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
Tom Glavine (1987–2008) and Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 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 Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Tom Glavine
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 1980s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Clayton Kershaw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 223 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 96 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 455 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 451 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 56 | 25 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 15 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | Leads: 3,052 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 713 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 2,193 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 2,855.1 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 2.53 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.02 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 9.62 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.25 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Tom Glavine 93,455 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 5,192 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Clayton Kershaw played 18 seasons to Tom Glavine's 22. 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).
Tom Glavine — 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 Tom Glavine 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 Tom Glavine and Clayton Kershaw careers compare
Tom Glavine and Clayton Kershaw were active at the same time between 2008 and 2008. With 682 games against 455 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 5.32 strikeouts and 3.06 walks for Tom Glavine, 9.62 and 2.25 for Clayton Kershaw. Both had the same role: Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games); Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games). In WHIP, Clayton Kershaw's 1.02 beats Tom Glavine's 1.31. Clayton Kershaw owns the better peak by ERA: 2.47 ERA in 1998 for Tom Glavine against 1.69 ERA in 2016 for Clayton Kershaw.
Tom Glavine vs Clayton Kershaw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tom Glavine or Clayton Kershaw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Glavine leads Clayton Kershaw in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.