Zack Greinke vs Clayton Kershaw: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Zack Greinke played 2004–2023 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
Zack Greinke (2004–2023) and Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) — both debuted in the 2000s. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Clayton Kershaw, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- How many innings did each pitch? Zack Greinke 3,389.1, Clayton Kershaw 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 15 to Zack Greinke's 5.
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. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Clayton Kershaw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 223 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 96 |
| Games not scored | 586 | 455 |
| Games Started not scored | 541 | 451 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 25 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves not scored | 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,979 | Leads: 3,052 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 713 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 2,193 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,389.1 | 2,855.1 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 2.53 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.02 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 9.62 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.25 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Zack Greinke 93,455 to 58,246 — driven by per-season impact — 5,192 PIV per season to 2,912 — rather than by longevity, since Clayton Kershaw played 18 seasons to Zack Greinke's 20. 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
Clayton Kershaw leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, ERA, and others. Zack Greinke leads 2: wins and walks per nine. 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 Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw careers compare
Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw were active at the same time between 2008 and 2023. The two careers are close in length, 586 games for Zack Greinke and 455 for Clayton Kershaw across 20 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Zack Greinke are wins (225 to 223) and walks per nine (2.02 to 2.25). By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Clayton Kershaw struck out 9.62 and walked 2.25. Both had the same role: Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games); Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games).
Zack Greinke vs Clayton Kershaw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Clayton Kershaw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Clayton Kershaw leads Zack Greinke in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.