Zack Greinke vs Curt Schilling: Career Stats Comparison
Curt Schilling has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Curt Schilling played 1988–2007 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 Curt Schilling (1988–2007) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Curt Schilling finished with 216 wins and 3,116 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Curt Schilling, with 3.46 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Curt Schilling's 216.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP? Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389.1 to Curt Schilling's 3,261.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Curt Schilling, with 20 to Zack Greinke's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Zack Greinke's 58,246.
Zack Greinke
Curt Schilling
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Curt Schilling |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 216 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 146 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 569 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 436 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 83 |
| Shutouts | 5 | Leads: 20 |
| Saves | 1 | Leads: 22 |
| Strikeouts | 2,979 | Leads: 3,116 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 711 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 2,998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,389.1 | 3,261.0 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.46 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.14 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 8.60 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 | Leads: 1.96 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling outpaces Zack Greinke 98,246 to 58,246 — driven by per-season impact — 4,678 PIV per season to 2,648 — rather than by longevity, since Curt Schilling played 21 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)
Curt Schilling — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Curt Schilling leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Zack Greinke owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Curt Schilling. PIV agrees: Curt Schilling 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 Curt Schilling careers compare
Zack Greinke and Curt Schilling were active at the same time between 2004 and 2007. The two careers are close in length, 586 games for Zack Greinke and 569 for Curt Schilling across 22 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Zack Greinke are wins (225 to 216), games (586 to 569), and starts (541 to 436). By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Curt Schilling struck out 8.60 and walked 1.96. Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games), and Curt Schilling was mainly a starter (436 starts in 569 games).
Zack Greinke vs Curt Schilling: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Curt Schilling?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Curt Schilling leads Zack Greinke in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Curt Schilling, with 3.46 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Curt Schilling's 216.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Zack Greinke's 2,979.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Curt Schilling, with 1.14 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.