Lefty Grove vs Dutch Leonard: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 as a pitcher; Dutch Leonard played 1933–1953 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 Dutch Leonard (1933–1953) — they debuted in the 1920s and the 1930s respectively and share 9 seasons. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Dutch Leonard finished with 191 wins and 1,170 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Lefty Grove, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Dutch Leonard's 3.25.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Dutch Leonard's 191.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Dutch Leonard's 1,170.
- Who had the better WHIP? Dutch Leonard, with 1.26 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- How many innings did each pitch? Lefty Grove 3,940.2, Dutch Leonard 3,218.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Dutch Leonard's 30.
Lefty Grove
Dutch Leonard
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. 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 | Lefty Grove | Dutch Leonard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 191 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 181 |
| Games not scored | 616 | 640 |
| Games Started not scored | 457 | 374 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 192 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 30 |
| Saves not scored | 55 | 44 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,266 | 1,170 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 737 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 3,304 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 158 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,940.2 | 3,218.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.25 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.18 | 3.27 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 2.06 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Dutch Leonard 81,321 to 44,834 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 2,242 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Dutch Leonard's 20. 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).
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dutch Leonard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Lefty Grove leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Dutch Leonard leads 2: WHIP and walks per nine. 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 Lefty Grove and Dutch Leonard careers compare
From 1933 through 1941, Lefty Grove and Dutch Leonard were in the majors together. With 616 games against 640 across 17 and 20 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Dutch Leonard comes out ahead, it is in WHIP (1.26 to 1.28) and walks per nine (2.06 to 2.71). The per-nine rows read 5.18 strikeouts and 2.71 walks for Lefty Grove, 3.27 and 2.06 for Dutch Leonard. Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games), while Dutch Leonard split time between starting and relief (374 starts in 640 games). In WHIP, Dutch Leonard's 1.26 beats Lefty Grove's 1.28.
Lefty Grove vs Dutch Leonard: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Dutch Leonard?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Dutch Leonard in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Dutch Leonard's 3.25.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Dutch Leonard's 191.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Dutch Leonard's 1,170.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Dutch Leonard, with 1.26 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.