Zack Greinke vs Mike Mussina: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Mike Mussina played 1991–2008 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 Mike Mussina (1991–2008) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Mike Mussina finished with 270 wins and 2,813 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Zack Greinke, with 3.49 to Mike Mussina's 3.68.
- Who won more games? Mike Mussina, with 270 to Zack Greinke's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Mike Mussina's 2,813.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Mike Mussina's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Mike Mussina, with 3,562.2 to Zack Greinke's 3,389.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Mike Mussina, with 23 to Zack Greinke's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Mike Mussina, with 76,572 career Pitcher PIV to Zack Greinke's 58,246.
Zack Greinke
Mike Mussina
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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Mike Mussina |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 225 | Leads: 270 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 153 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 537 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 536 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 57 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 23 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 2,813 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 785 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 3,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 376 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,389.1 | Leads: 3,562.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.49 | 3.68 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.91 | 7.11 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 | Leads: 1.98 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mike Mussina leads Zack Greinke 76,572 to 58,246 — driven by per-season impact — 4,254 PIV per season to 2,648 — rather than by longevity, since Mike Mussina played 18 seasons to Zack Greinke'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).
Zack Greinke — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Mike Mussina — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Greinke leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Mike Mussina owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Greinke. Note that PIV actually grades Mike Mussina ahead, which means Zack Greinke's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Zack Greinke and Mike Mussina careers compare
The careers of Zack Greinke (2004–2023) and Mike Mussina (1991–2008) overlapped from 2004 to 2008, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 586 games against 537 across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Mike Mussina struck out 7.11 and walked 1.98. Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games), and Mike Mussina was mainly a starter (536 starts in 537 games). Complete games (17 to 57) show how differently the two eras used starters. In WHIP, Zack Greinke's 1.17 beats Mike Mussina's 1.19.
Zack Greinke vs Mike Mussina: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Mike Mussina?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Mike Mussina in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Greinke, with 3.49 to Mike Mussina's 3.68.
- Who won more games?
- Mike Mussina, with 270 to Zack Greinke's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Mike Mussina's 2,813.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Mike Mussina's 1.19.