Zack Greinke vs Blake Snell: 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; Blake Snell has played 2016–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 Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Blake Snell's 1.22.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389.1 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Zack Greinke, with 5 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Zack Greinke
Blake Snell
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,389.1 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.10 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.17 | 1.22 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke outpaces Blake Snell 58,246 to 27,494 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Greinke played 22 seasons to Blake Snell's 10, while Blake Snell carries the higher per-season figure (2,749 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)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Greinke leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Blake Snell owns ERA 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 Blake Snell careers compare
Zack Greinke and Blake Snell were active at the same time between 2016 and 2023. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Zack Greinke appeared in 586 games to Blake Snell's 231. The green cells for Blake Snell are ERA (3.10 to 3.49) and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 7.91). By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Blake Snell struck out 11.21 and walked 4.03. Both had the same role: Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games); Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). Because Blake Snell is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Zack Greinke vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Blake Snell in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Blake Snell, with 3.10 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Blake Snell's 1.22.