Lefty Grove vs Gaylord Perry: Career Stats Comparison
Gaylord Perry 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; Gaylord Perry played 1962–1983 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 Gaylord Perry (1962–1983) — 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; Gaylord Perry finished with 314 wins and 3,534 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 Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games? Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Lefty Grove's 300.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP? Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Gaylord Perry, with 5,350.1 to Lefty Grove's 3,940.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Gaylord Perry, with 53 to Lefty Grove's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Gaylord Perry's 78,312.
Lefty Grove
Gaylord Perry
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 | Gaylord Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 300 | Leads: 314 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 265 |
| Games | 616 | Leads: 777 |
| Games Started | 457 | Leads: 690 |
| Complete Games | 298 | Leads: 303 |
| Shutouts | 35 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 11 |
| Strikeouts | 2,266 | Leads: 3,534 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 1,379 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 4,938 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 399 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,940.2 | Leads: 5,350.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.11 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.18 |
| K/9 | 5.18 | Leads: 5.94 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 2.32 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove edges Gaylord Perry 81,321 to 78,312 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 3,132 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Gaylord Perry's 25. 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)
Gaylord Perry — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Gaylord Perry leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Lefty Grove owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Gaylord Perry. Note that PIV actually grades Lefty Grove ahead, which means Gaylord Perry's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lefty Grove and Gaylord Perry careers compare
No season is shared: Lefty Grove played 1925–1941, Gaylord Perry 1962–1983. The two careers are close in length, 616 games for Lefty Grove and 777 for Gaylord Perry across 17 and 25 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Lefty Grove's edges on the table are saves (55 to 11) and ERA (3.06 to 3.11). By rate, Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71 per nine innings; Gaylord Perry struck out 5.94 and walked 2.32. Both had the same role: Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games); Gaylord Perry was mainly a starter (690 starts in 777 games). In WHIP, Gaylord Perry's 1.18 beats Lefty Grove's 1.28.
Lefty Grove vs Gaylord Perry: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Gaylord Perry?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Gaylord Perry leads Lefty Grove in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Gaylord Perry's 3.11.
- Who won more games?
- Gaylord Perry, with 314 to Lefty Grove's 300.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Gaylord Perry, with 3,534 to Lefty Grove's 2,266.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Gaylord Perry, with 1.18 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.