Lefty Grove vs Dutch Leonard: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. 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) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1930s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Grove compiled 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Dutch Leonard put up 191 wins and 1,170 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 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.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940 to Dutch Leonard's 3,218.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Dutch Leonard's 30.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Dutch Leonard's 44,834.
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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Lefty Grove | Dutch Leonard |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 191 |
| Losses | 141 | 181 |
| Games | 616 | Leads: 640 |
| Games Started | Leads: 457 | 374 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 192 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 30 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 44 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,266 | 1,170 |
| Walks | 1,187 | 737 |
| Hits Allowed | 3,849 | 3,304 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 162 | 158 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,940 | 3,218 |
| 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 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (4,784 vs 2,242 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).
Lefty Grove — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Dutch Leonard — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and K/9, while Dutch Leonard owns WHIP. 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
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 9 of 12 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.