Zack Greinke vs David Price: 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; David Price played 2008–2022 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 David Price (2008–2022) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; David Price finished with 157 wins and 2,076 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? David Price, with 3.32 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to David Price's 157.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to David Price's 2,076.
- Who had the better WHIP? David Price, with 1.16 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389.1 to David Price's 2,143.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Zack Greinke, with 5 to David Price's 3.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to David Price's 36,995.
Zack Greinke
David Price
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 | David Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 157 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 82 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 400 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 322 |
| Complete Games | 17 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 3 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 3 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 2,076 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 562 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 1,930 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 221 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,389.1 | 2,143.2 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.32 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.16 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 8.72 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.36 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke outpaces David Price 58,246 to 36,995 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 2,648 PIV per season to 2,312, across 22 seasons to 16. 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)
David Price — 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 David Price 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 David Price careers compare
From 2008 through 2022, Zack Greinke and David Price were in the majors together. With 586 games against 400 across 22 and 16 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for David Price are saves (3 to 1), ERA (3.32 to 3.49), and WHIP (1.16 to 1.17). By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; David Price struck out 8.72 and walked 2.36. Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games), and David Price was mainly a starter (322 starts in 400 games). In WHIP, David Price's 1.16 beats Zack Greinke's 1.17.
Zack Greinke vs David Price: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or David Price?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads David Price in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- David Price, with 3.32 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to David Price's 157.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to David Price's 2,076.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- David Price, with 1.16 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.