Zack Greinke vs Clayton Kershaw: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke (2004–present) and Clayton Kershaw (2008–present) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Zack Greinke compiled 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Clayton Kershaw put up 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Zack Greinke
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Clayton Kershaw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 225 | 223 |
| Losses | 156 | 96 |
| Games | 586 | 455 |
| Games Started | 541 | 451 |
| Complete Games | 17 | 25 |
| Shutouts | 5 | 15 |
| Saves | 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,979 | 3,052 |
| Walks | 762 | 713 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,207 | 2,193 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 367 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,389 | 2,855 |
| ERA | 3.49 | 2.53 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | 1.02 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | 9.62 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 | 2.25 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Zack Greinke 93,455 to 58,246 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,192 vs 2,648 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Zack Greinke — 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 Zack Greinke 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.