Lefty Grove vs Blake Snell: 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; Blake Snell has played 2016–present 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 Blake Snell (2016–present) — breaking in during the 1920s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Lefty Grove finished with 300 wins and 2,266 strikeouts; Blake Snell has 85 wins and 1,495 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. 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 Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games? Lefty Grove, with 300 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP? Blake Snell, with 1.22 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.
- Who pitched more innings? Lefty Grove, with 3,940.2 to Blake Snell's 1,200.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Lefty Grove, with 35 to Blake Snell's 1.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lefty Grove, with 81,321 career Pitcher PIV to Blake Snell's 27,494.
Lefty Grove
Blake Snell
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 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Blake Snell is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Lefty Grove | Blake Snell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 300 | 85 |
| Losses not scored | 141 | 63 |
| Games | Leads: 616 | 231 |
| Games Started | Leads: 457 | 231 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 298 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 35 | 1 |
| Saves | Leads: 55 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,266 | 1,495 |
| Walks not scored | 1,187 | 537 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,849 | 922 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 162 | 111 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 3,940.2 | 1,200.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.06 | 3.10 |
| WHIP | 1.28 | Leads: 1.22 |
| K/9 | 5.18 | Leads: 11.21 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.71 | 4.03 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lefty Grove outpaces Blake Snell 81,321 to 27,494 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 4,784 PIV per season to 2,749, across 17 seasons to 10. 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)
Blake Snell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Lefty Grove leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Blake Snell owns WHIP and K/9. 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 Blake Snell careers compare
No season is shared: Lefty Grove played 1925–1941, Blake Snell 2016–present. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Lefty Grove appeared in 616 games to Blake Snell's 231. Blake Snell's edges on the table are WHIP (1.22 to 1.28) and strikeouts per nine (11.21 to 5.18). The per-nine rows read 5.18 strikeouts and 2.71 walks for Lefty Grove, 11.21 and 4.03 for Blake Snell. Both had the same role: Lefty Grove was mainly a starter (457 starts in 616 games); Blake Snell was mainly a starter (231 starts in 231 games). The complete-game row, 298 against 1, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Because Blake Snell is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Lefty Grove vs Blake Snell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lefty Grove or Blake Snell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lefty Grove leads Blake Snell in 10 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Lefty Grove, with 3.06 to Blake Snell's 3.10.
- Who won more games?
- Lefty Grove, with 300 to Blake Snell's 85.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Lefty Grove, with 2,266 to Blake Snell's 1,495.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Blake Snell, with 1.22 to Lefty Grove's 1.28.