Lefty Grove vs Jim Palmer: 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; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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 Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Lefty Grove's 3.06.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Lefty Grove's 3,940.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Lefty Grove's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Lefty Grove
Jim Palmer
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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lefty Grove | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 268 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 152 |
| Games | Leads: 616 | 558 |
| Games Started | 457 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 211 |
| Shutouts | 35 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,266 | 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,940.2 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | 3.06 | Leads: 2.86 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.18 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.71 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Jim Palmer 81,321 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, strikeouts, and K/9, while Jim Palmer owns ERA, WHIP, and innings pitched. 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 Jim Palmer careers compare
No season is shared: Lefty Grove played 1925–1941, Jim Palmer 1965–1984. With 616 games against 558 across 17 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 5.18 strikeouts and 2.71 walks for Lefty Grove, 5.04 and 2.99 for Jim Palmer. Both had the same role: Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games); Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). Jim Palmer allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.18 WHIP to Lefty Grove's 1.28. Best seasons: 1931 for Lefty Grove (2.06 ERA, 31-4, 175 K in 288 IP) and 1972 for Jim Palmer (2.07 ERA, 21-10, 184 K in 274 IP).
Lefty Grove vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Jim Palmer in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jim Palmer, with 2.86 to Lefty Grove's 3.06.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Jim Palmer's 268.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Jim Palmer, with 1.18 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.