Lefty Grove vs Don Newcombe: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove 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; Don Newcombe played 1949–1960 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 Don Newcombe (1949–1960) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Don Newcombe finished with 153 wins and 1,185 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 Don Newcombe's 3.57.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Don Newcombe's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Don Newcombe's 1,185.
- Who had the better WHIP? Don Newcombe, with 1.21 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to Don Newcombe's 2,247.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Don Newcombe's 24.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Don Newcombe's 20,184.
Lefty Grove
Don Newcombe
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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lefty Grove | Don Newcombe |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 153 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 96 |
| Games | Leads: 616 | 359 |
| Games Started | Leads: 457 | 305 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 145 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 24 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 7 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,266 | 1,185 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 528 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 2,185 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 255 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,940.2 | 2,247.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.57 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.21 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.18 | 4.75 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 2.11 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Don Newcombe 81,321 to 20,184 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,784 PIV per season to 1,442, across 17 seasons to 14. 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)
Don Newcombe — 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 Don Newcombe 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
How the Lefty Grove and Don Newcombe careers compare
No season is shared: Lefty Grove played 1925–1941, Don Newcombe 1949–1960. The table compares 616 games of Lefty Grove with 359 of Don Newcombe across 17 and 14 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Don Newcombe's edges on the table are WHIP (1.21 to 1.28) and walks per nine (2.11 to 2.71). By rate, Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71 per nine innings; Don Newcombe struck out 4.75 and walked 2.11. Both had the same role: Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games); Don Newcombe was mainly a starter (305 starts in 359 games). Don Newcombe allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.21 WHIP to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
Lefty Grove vs Don Newcombe: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Don Newcombe?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Don Newcombe in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Don Newcombe's 3.57.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Don Newcombe's 153.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Don Newcombe's 1,185.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Don Newcombe, with 1.21 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.