Burleigh Grimes vs Lefty Grove: Career Stats Comparison
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 compiled 270 wins and 1,512 strikeouts; Lefty Grove put up 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Burleigh Grimes | Lefty Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 270 | 300 |
| Losses | 212 | 141 |
| Games | 616 | 616 |
| Games Started | 497 | 457 |
| Complete Games | 314 | 298 |
| Shutouts | 35 | 35 |
| Saves | 18 | 55 |
| Strikeouts | 1,512 | 2,266 |
| Walks | 1,295 | 1,187 |
| Hits Allowed | 4,412 | 3,849 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 148 | 162 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,180 | 3,940 |
| ERA | 3.53 | 3.06 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | 1.28 |
| K/9 | 3.26 | 5.18 |
| BB/9 | 2.79 | 2.71 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Burleigh Grimes 81,321 to 18,821 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,784 vs 818 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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.