Zack Greinke vs Andy Pettitte: 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; Andy Pettitte played 1995–2013 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 Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) — 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; Andy Pettitte finished with 256 wins and 2,448 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 Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Zack Greinke's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389.1 to Andy Pettitte's 3,316.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Zack Greinke, with 5 to Andy Pettitte's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to Andy Pettitte's 57,293.
Zack Greinke
Andy Pettitte
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 | Andy Pettitte |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 225 | Leads: 256 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 153 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 531 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 521 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 26 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 4 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 2,448 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 1,031 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 3,448 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,389.1 | 3,316.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.49 | 3.85 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.91 | 6.64 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.80 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke edges Andy Pettitte 58,246 to 57,293 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Greinke played 22 seasons to Andy Pettitte's 18, while Andy Pettitte carries the higher per-season figure (3,183 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)
Andy Pettitte — 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 Andy Pettitte owns wins. 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 Andy Pettitte careers compare
The careers of Zack Greinke (2004–2023) and Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) overlapped from 2004 to 2013, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 586 games for Zack Greinke and 531 for Andy Pettitte across 22 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Andy Pettitte are wins (256 to 225) and complete games (26 to 17). The per-nine rows read 7.91 strikeouts and 2.02 walks for Zack Greinke, 6.64 and 2.80 for Andy Pettitte. Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games), and Andy Pettitte was mainly a starter (521 starts in 531 games).
Zack Greinke vs Andy Pettitte: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Andy Pettitte?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Andy Pettitte in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Greinke, with 3.49 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Zack Greinke's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.