Lefty Grove vs Clayton Kershaw: 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). Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 as a pitcher; Clayton Kershaw played 2008–2025 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
Lefty Grove (1925–1941) and Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Lefty Grove's 3.06.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Lefty Grove's 81,321.
Lefty Grove
Clayton Kershaw
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 1920s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lefty Grove | Clayton Kershaw |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 223 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 96 |
| Games | Leads: 616 | 455 |
| Games Started | Leads: 457 | 451 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 25 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | 2,266 | Leads: 3,052 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 713 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 2,193 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 235 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,940.2 | 2,855.1 |
| ERA | 3.06 | Leads: 2.53 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.02 |
| K/9 | 5.18 | Leads: 9.62 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 2.25 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw leads Lefty Grove 93,455 to 81,321 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,192 PIV per season to 4,784, across 18 seasons to 17. 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).
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Lefty Grove owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Clayton Kershaw. PIV agrees: Clayton Kershaw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lefty Grove and Clayton Kershaw careers compare
No season is shared: Lefty Grove played 1925–1941, Clayton Kershaw 2008–2025. The two careers are close in length, 616 games for Lefty Grove and 455 for Clayton Kershaw across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71 per nine innings; Clayton Kershaw struck out 9.62 and walked 2.25. Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games), and Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games). The complete-game row, 298 against 25, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Clayton Kershaw allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.02 WHIP to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
Lefty Grove vs Clayton Kershaw: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Clayton Kershaw?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Clayton Kershaw in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Lefty Grove's 3.06.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.