Burleigh Grimes vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Burleigh Grimes played 1916–1934 as a pitcher; Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 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
Burleigh Grimes (1916–1934) and Lefty Grove (1925–1941) — breaking in during the 1910s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Burleigh Grimes finished with 270 wins and 1,512 strikeouts; Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Burleigh Grimes's 270.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Burleigh Grimes's 1,512.
- Who had the better WHIP? Lefty Grove, with 1.28 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
- Who pitched more innings? Burleigh Grimes, with 4,180.0 to Lefty Grove's 3,940.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Burleigh Grimes's 18,821.
Burleigh Grimes
Lefty Grove
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 1910s and the 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Burleigh Grimes | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 270 | Leads: 300 |
| Losses not scored | 212 | 141 |
| Games | 616 | 616 |
| Games Started | Leads: 497 | 457 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 314 | 298 |
| Shutouts | 35 | 35 |
| Saves | 18 | Leads: 55 |
| Strikeouts | 1,512 | Leads: 2,266 |
| Walks not scored | 1,295 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,412 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 148 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,180.0 | 3,940.2 |
| ERA | 3.53 | Leads: 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | Leads: 1.28 |
| K/9 | 3.26 | Leads: 5.18 |
| BB/9 | 2.79 | Leads: 2.71 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Burleigh Grimes 81,321 to 18,821 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 818 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Burleigh Grimes's 23. 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).
Burleigh Grimes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Burleigh Grimes owns innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Lefty Grove. PIV agrees: Lefty Grove grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Burleigh Grimes and Lefty Grove careers compare
From 1925 through 1934, Burleigh Grimes and Lefty Grove were in the majors together. With 616 games against 616 across 23 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Burleigh Grimes are starts (497 to 457), complete games (314 to 298), and innings (4,180.0 to 3,940.2). The per-nine rows read 3.26 strikeouts and 2.79 walks for Burleigh Grimes, 5.18 and 2.71 for Lefty Grove. Burleigh Grimes was mainly a starter (497 starts in 616 games), and Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games). In WHIP, Lefty Grove's 1.28 beats Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
Burleigh Grimes vs Lefty Grove: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Burleigh Grimes or Lefty Grove?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Burleigh Grimes in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Burleigh Grimes's 270.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Burleigh Grimes's 1,512.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Lefty Grove, with 1.28 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.