Zack Greinke vs Tarik Skubal: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke 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; Tarik Skubal has played 2020–present 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 Tarik Skubal (2020–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Tarik Skubal has 66 wins and 1,075 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP? Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389.1 to Tarik Skubal's 925.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Zack Greinke, with 5 to Tarik Skubal's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to Tarik Skubal's 20,288.
Zack Greinke
Tarik Skubal
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 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Tarik Skubal is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Tarik Skubal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 66 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 44 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 163 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 160 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 1,075 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 199 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 740 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 104 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,389.1 | 925.1 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.02 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 10.46 |
| BB/9 | 2.02 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke outpaces Tarik Skubal 58,246 to 20,288 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Greinke played 22 seasons to Tarik Skubal's 6, while Tarik Skubal carries the higher per-season figure (3,381 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)
Tarik Skubal — 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 Tarik Skubal 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 Tarik Skubal careers compare
From 2020 through 2023, Zack Greinke and Tarik Skubal were in the majors together. Zack Greinke has the far longer record, 586 games against 163 across 22 and 6 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Tarik Skubal comes out ahead, it is in ERA (3.02 to 3.49), WHIP (1.01 to 1.17), and strikeouts per nine (10.46 to 7.91). By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Tarik Skubal struck out 10.46 and walked 1.94. Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games), and Tarik Skubal was mainly a starter (160 starts in 163 games). In WHIP, Tarik Skubal's 1.01 beats Zack Greinke's 1.17. Tarik Skubal's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Zack Greinke vs Tarik Skubal: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Tarik Skubal?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Tarik Skubal in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tarik Skubal, with 3.02 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Tarik Skubal's 66.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Tarik Skubal's 1,075.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Tarik Skubal, with 1.01 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.