Burleigh Grimes vs Eppa Rixey: Career Stats Comparison
Eppa Rixey 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; Eppa Rixey played 1912–1933 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 Eppa Rixey (1912–1933) — both came up during the 1910s, so the matchup is a direct one. Burleigh Grimes finished with 270 wins and 1,512 strikeouts; Eppa Rixey finished with 266 wins and 1,350 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Eppa Rixey, with 3.15 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games? Burleigh Grimes, with 270 to Eppa Rixey's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Burleigh Grimes, with 1,512 to Eppa Rixey's 1,350.
- Who had the better WHIP? Eppa Rixey, with 1.27 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
- Who pitched more innings? Eppa Rixey, with 4,494.2 to Burleigh Grimes's 4,180.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eppa Rixey, with 37 to Burleigh Grimes's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Eppa Rixey, with 45,675 career Pitcher PIV to Burleigh Grimes's 18,821.
Burleigh Grimes
Eppa Rixey
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Burleigh Grimes | Eppa Rixey |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 270 | 266 |
| Losses not scored | 212 | 251 |
| Games | 616 | Leads: 692 |
| Games Started | 497 | Leads: 552 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 314 | 290 |
| Shutouts | 35 | Leads: 37 |
| Saves | Leads: 18 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,512 | 1,350 |
| Walks not scored | 1,295 | 1,082 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,412 | 4,633 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 148 | 92 |
| Innings Pitched | 4,180.0 | Leads: 4,494.2 |
| ERA | 3.53 | Leads: 3.15 |
| WHIP | 1.37 | Leads: 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 3.26 | 2.70 |
| BB/9 | 2.79 | Leads: 2.17 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Eppa Rixey outpaces Burleigh Grimes 45,675 to 18,821 — driven by per-season impact — 2,175 PIV per season to 818 — rather than by longevity, since Eppa Rixey played 21 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)
Eppa Rixey — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Eppa Rixey leads in ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched, while Burleigh Grimes owns wins, strikeouts, and K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Eppa Rixey. PIV agrees: Eppa Rixey 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 Eppa Rixey careers compare
Burleigh Grimes and Eppa Rixey were active at the same time between 1916 and 1933. The two careers are close in length, 616 games for Burleigh Grimes and 692 for Eppa Rixey across 23 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The per-nine rows read 3.26 strikeouts and 2.79 walks for Burleigh Grimes, 2.70 and 2.17 for Eppa Rixey. Both had the same role: Burleigh Grimes was mainly a starter (497 starts in 616 games); Eppa Rixey was mainly a starter (552 starts in 692 games). Eppa Rixey allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.27 WHIP to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.
Burleigh Grimes vs Eppa Rixey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Burleigh Grimes or Eppa Rixey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Eppa Rixey leads Burleigh Grimes in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Eppa Rixey, with 3.15 to Burleigh Grimes's 3.53.
- Who won more games?
- Burleigh Grimes, with 270 to Eppa Rixey's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Burleigh Grimes, with 1,512 to Eppa Rixey's 1,350.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Eppa Rixey, with 1.27 to Burleigh Grimes's 1.37.