Bob Grim vs Craig Kimbrel: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Kimbrel 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). Bob Grim played 1954–1962 as a pitcher; Craig Kimbrel has played 2010–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
Bob Grim (1954–1962) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) — breaking in during the 1950s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Bob Grim finished with 61 wins and 443 strikeouts; Craig Kimbrel has 57 wins and 1,322 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Bob Grim's 3.61.
- Who won more games? Bob Grim, with 61 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Bob Grim's 443.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Bob Grim's 1.37.
- Who pitched more innings? Craig Kimbrel, with 867.2 to Bob Grim's 759.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bob Grim, with 4 to Craig Kimbrel's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Craig Kimbrel, with 30,862 career Pitcher PIV to Bob Grim's 7,752.
Craig Kimbrel
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 1950s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Craig Kimbrel is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Bob Grim | Craig Kimbrel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 61 | 57 |
| Losses not scored | 41 | 53 |
| Games | 268 | Leads: 897 |
| Games Started | Leads: 60 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 18 | 0 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Saves | 37 | Leads: 441 |
| Strikeouts | 443 | Leads: 1,322 |
| Walks not scored | 330 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 708 | 532 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 50 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched | 759.2 | Leads: 867.2 |
| ERA | 3.61 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 5.25 | Leads: 13.71 |
| BB/9 | 3.91 | Leads: 3.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Kimbrel outpaces Bob Grim 30,862 to 7,752 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,715 PIV per season to 705, across 18 seasons to 11. 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).
Bob Grim — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Craig Kimbrel
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Craig Kimbrel leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bob Grim owns wins. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Craig Kimbrel. PIV agrees: Craig Kimbrel grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Bob Grim and Craig Kimbrel careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bob Grim's ended in 1962, and Craig Kimbrel debuted in 2010. Craig Kimbrel has the far longer record, 897 games against 268 across 11 and 18 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Bob Grim comes out ahead, it is in wins (61 to 57), starts (60 to 0), and complete games (18 to 0). By rate, Bob Grim struck out 5.25 and walked 3.91 per nine innings; Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.71 and walked 3.82. Their roles differ: Bob Grim split time between starting and relief (60 starts in 268 games); Craig Kimbrel worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 897 games, 441 saves). Because Craig Kimbrel is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Bob Grim vs Craig Kimbrel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Bob Grim or Craig Kimbrel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Kimbrel leads Bob Grim in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Bob Grim's 3.61.
- Who won more games?
- Bob Grim, with 61 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Bob Grim's 443.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Bob Grim's 1.37.