Zack Greinke vs Corey Kluber: Career Stats Comparison
Corey Kluber 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). Zack Greinke played 2004–2023 as a pitcher; Corey Kluber played 2011–2023 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 Corey Kluber (2011–2023) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Corey Kluber finished with 116 wins and 1,725 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Corey Kluber, with 3.44 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Corey Kluber's 116.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Corey Kluber's 1,725.
- Who had the better WHIP? Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389.1 to Corey Kluber's 1,641.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Corey Kluber, with 8 to Zack Greinke's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to Corey Kluber's 36,049.
Zack Greinke
Corey Kluber
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 2000s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Corey Kluber |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 116 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 77 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 271 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 260 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 18 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 8 |
| Saves | 1 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 1,725 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 1,486 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 177 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,389.1 | 1,641.2 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.44 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.13 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 9.46 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 | Leads: 2.02 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke outpaces Corey Kluber 58,246 to 36,049 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Greinke played 22 seasons to Corey Kluber's 13, while Corey Kluber carries the higher per-season figure (2,773 to 2,648). 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).
Zack Greinke — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Corey Kluber — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Greinke leads in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched, while Corey Kluber owns ERA, WHIP, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Greinke. PIV agrees: Zack Greinke 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 Corey Kluber careers compare
Zack Greinke and Corey Kluber were active at the same time between 2011 and 2023. Zack Greinke has the far longer record, 586 games against 271 across 22 and 13 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. The per-nine rows read 7.91 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Zack Greinke, 9.46 and 2.02 for Corey Kluber. Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games), and Corey Kluber was mainly a starter (260 starts in 271 games). Corey Kluber allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.13 WHIP to Zack Greinke's 1.17. Zack Greinke owns the better peak by ERA: 1.66 ERA in 2015 for Zack Greinke against 2.25 ERA in 2017 for Corey Kluber.
Zack Greinke vs Corey Kluber: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Corey Kluber?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Corey Kluber leads Zack Greinke in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Corey Kluber, with 3.44 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Corey Kluber's 116.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Corey Kluber's 1,725.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Corey Kluber, with 1.13 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.