Lefty Grove vs Eppa Rixey: Career Stats Comparison
Lefty Grove and Eppa Rixey are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Lefty Grove played 1925–1941 as a pitcher; Eppa Rixey played 1912–1933 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 Eppa Rixey (1912–1933) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 1910s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Eppa Rixey finished with 266 wins and 1,350 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 Eppa Rixey's 3.15.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Eppa Rixey's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Eppa Rixey's 1,350.
- Who had the better WHIP? Eppa Rixey, with 1.27 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Eppa Rixey, with 4,494.2 to Lefty Grove's 3,940.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eppa Rixey, with 37 to Lefty Grove's 35.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Eppa Rixey's 45,675.
Lefty Grove
Eppa Rixey
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 1910s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lefty Grove | Eppa Rixey |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 266 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 251 |
| Games | 616 | Leads: 692 |
| Games Started | 457 | Leads: 552 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 290 |
| Shutouts | 35 | Leads: 37 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 14 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,266 | 1,350 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 1,082 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 4,633 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 92 |
| Innings Pitched | 3,940.2 | Leads: 4,494.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.15 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 5.18 | 2.70 |
| BB/9 | 2.71 | Leads: 2.17 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Eppa Rixey 81,321 to 45,675 — driven by per-season impact — 4,784 PIV per season to 2,175 — rather than by longevity, since Lefty Grove played 17 seasons to Eppa Rixey's 21. 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)
Eppa Rixey — 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 Eppa Rixey owns 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 Eppa Rixey careers compare
Lefty Grove and Eppa Rixey were active at the same time between 1925 and 1933. With 616 games against 692 across 17 and 21 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Lefty Grove struck out 5.18 and walked 2.71 per nine innings; Eppa Rixey struck out 2.70 and walked 2.17. Both had the same role: Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games); Eppa Rixey was mainly a starter (552 starts in 692 games). Eppa Rixey allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.27 WHIP to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
Lefty Grove vs Eppa Rixey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Eppa Rixey's 3.15.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Eppa Rixey's 266.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Eppa Rixey's 1,350.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Eppa Rixey, with 1.27 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.