Zack Greinke vs Jake Peavy: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Jake Peavy played 2002–2016 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 Jake Peavy (2002–2016) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Jake Peavy finished with 152 wins and 2,207 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 Jake Peavy's 3.63.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Jake Peavy's 152.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Jake Peavy's 2,207.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Jake Peavy's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389.1 to Jake Peavy's 2,377.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jake Peavy, with 6 to Zack Greinke's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to Jake Peavy's 34,745.
Zack Greinke
Jake Peavy
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Jake Peavy |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 152 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 126 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 388 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 377 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 15 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 6 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 2,207 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 708 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 2,134 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 259 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,389.1 | 2,377.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.49 | 3.63 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 8.36 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.68 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke outpaces Jake Peavy 58,246 to 34,745 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,648 PIV per season to 1,930, across 22 seasons to 18. 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)
Jake Peavy — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Greinke leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Jake Peavy owns 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 Jake Peavy careers compare
Zack Greinke and Jake Peavy were active at the same time between 2004 and 2016. The table compares 586 games of Zack Greinke with 388 of Jake Peavy across 22 and 18 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where Jake Peavy comes out ahead, it is in shutouts (6 to 5) and strikeouts per nine (8.36 to 7.91). By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Jake Peavy struck out 8.36 and walked 2.68. Both had the same role: Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games); Jake Peavy was mainly a starter (377 starts in 388 games).
Zack Greinke vs Jake Peavy: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Jake Peavy?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Jake Peavy in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Greinke, with 3.49 to Jake Peavy's 3.63.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Jake Peavy's 152.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Jake Peavy's 2,207.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Jake Peavy's 1.20.