Lefty Grove vs Christy Mathewson: Career Stats Comparison
Christy Mathewson has the better career line of the two, leading 10 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; Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916 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 Christy Mathewson (1900–1916) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1900s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Christy Mathewson finished with 373 wins and 2,507 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Lefty Grove's 3.06.
- Who won more games? Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Lefty Grove's 300.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP? Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Christy Mathewson, with 4,788.2 to Lefty Grove's 3,940.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Christy Mathewson, with 79 to Lefty Grove's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Christy Mathewson, with 82,446 career Pitcher PIV to Lefty Grove's 81,321.
Lefty Grove
Christy Mathewson
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 1900s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lefty Grove | Christy Mathewson |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 300 | Leads: 373 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 188 |
| Games | 616 | Leads: 636 |
| Games Started | 457 | Leads: 552 |
| Complete Games | 298 | Leads: 435 |
| Shutouts | 35 | Leads: 79 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 29 |
| Strikeouts | 2,266 | Leads: 2,507 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 848 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 4,219 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 90 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,940.2 | Leads: 4,788.2 |
| ERA | 3.06 | Leads: 2.13 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.06 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.18 | 4.71 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 1.59 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Christy Mathewson edges Lefty Grove 82,446 to 81,321 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Christy Mathewson played 18 seasons to Lefty Grove's 17, while Lefty Grove carries the higher per-season figure (4,784 to 4,580). 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)
Christy Mathewson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Christy Mathewson leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Lefty Grove owns K/9. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Christy Mathewson. PIV agrees: Christy Mathewson 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 Christy Mathewson careers compare
No season is shared: Christy Mathewson played 1900–1916, Lefty Grove 1925–1941. With 616 games against 636 across 17 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Lefty Grove's edges on the table are saves (55 to 29) and strikeouts per nine (5.18 to 4.71). The per-nine rows read 5.18 strikeouts and 2.71 walks for Lefty Grove, 4.71 and 1.59 for Christy Mathewson. Both had the same role: Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games); Christy Mathewson was mainly a starter (552 starts in 636 games). In WHIP, Christy Mathewson's 1.06 beats Lefty Grove's 1.28.
Lefty Grove vs Christy Mathewson: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Christy Mathewson?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Christy Mathewson leads Lefty Grove in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2.13 to Lefty Grove's 3.06.
- Who won more games?
- Christy Mathewson, with 373 to Lefty Grove's 300.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Christy Mathewson, with 2,507 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Christy Mathewson, with 1.06 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.