Zack Greinke vs Stephen Strasburg: Career Stats Comparison
Zack Greinke has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Stephen Strasburg played 2010–2022 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 Stephen Strasburg (2010–2022) — 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; Stephen Strasburg finished with 113 wins and 1,723 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games? Zack Greinke, with 225 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP? Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.
- Who pitched more innings? Zack Greinke, with 3,389.1 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,470.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Zack Greinke, with 5 to Stephen Strasburg's 2.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to Stephen Strasburg's 41,364.
Zack Greinke
Stephen Strasburg
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.
| Statistic | Zack Greinke | Stephen Strasburg |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 225 | 113 |
| Losses not scored | 156 | 62 |
| Games | Leads: 586 | 247 |
| Games Started | Leads: 541 | 247 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 17 | 2 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 5 | 2 |
| Saves | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,979 | 1,723 |
| Walks not scored | 762 | 394 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,207 | 1,217 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 367 | 149 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,389.1 | 1,470.0 |
| ERA | 3.49 | Leads: 3.24 |
| WHIP | 1.17 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 7.91 | Leads: 10.55 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.02 | 2.41 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke outpaces Stephen Strasburg 58,246 to 41,364 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Zack Greinke played 22 seasons to Stephen Strasburg's 13, while Stephen Strasburg carries the higher per-season figure (3,182 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)
Stephen Strasburg — 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 Stephen Strasburg 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 Stephen Strasburg careers compare
From 2010 through 2022, Zack Greinke and Stephen Strasburg were in the majors together. The table compares 586 games of Zack Greinke with 247 of Stephen Strasburg across 22 and 13 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The green cells for Stephen Strasburg are ERA (3.24 to 3.49), WHIP (1.10 to 1.17), and strikeouts per nine (10.55 to 7.91). By rate, Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02 per nine innings; Stephen Strasburg struck out 10.55 and walked 2.41. Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games), and Stephen Strasburg was mainly a starter (247 starts in 247 games).
Zack Greinke vs Stephen Strasburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Zack Greinke or Stephen Strasburg?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Zack Greinke leads Stephen Strasburg in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 3.24 to Zack Greinke's 3.49.
- Who won more games?
- Zack Greinke, with 225 to Stephen Strasburg's 113.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Stephen Strasburg's 1,723.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Stephen Strasburg, with 1.10 to Zack Greinke's 1.17.