Brad Hand vs Craig Kimbrel: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Kimbrel has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Brad Hand played 2011–2023 as a pitcher; Craig Kimbrel has played 2010–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
Brad Hand (2011–2023) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Brad Hand finished with 40 wins and 782 strikeouts; Craig Kimbrel has 57 wins and 1,322 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Brad Hand's 3.75.
- Who won more games? Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Brad Hand's 40.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Brad Hand's 782.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Brad Hand's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Craig Kimbrel, with 867.2 to Brad Hand's 772.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Craig Kimbrel, with 30,862 career Pitcher PIV to Brad Hand's 7,486.
Craig Kimbrel
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, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Craig Kimbrel is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Brad Hand | Craig Kimbrel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 40 | Leads: 57 |
| Losses not scored | 55 | 53 |
| Games | 579 | Leads: 897 |
| Games Started | Leads: 43 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 132 | Leads: 441 |
| Strikeouts | 782 | Leads: 1,322 |
| Walks not scored | 297 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 673 | 532 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 80 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched | 772.0 | Leads: 867.2 |
| ERA | 3.75 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.26 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 9.12 | Leads: 13.71 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.46 | 3.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Kimbrel outpaces Brad Hand 30,862 to 7,486 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,715 PIV per season to 440, across 18 seasons to 17. 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).
Brad Hand
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Craig Kimbrel
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Craig Kimbrel leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Brad Hand owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Craig Kimbrel. PIV agrees: Craig Kimbrel grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Brad Hand and Craig Kimbrel careers compare
The careers of Brad Hand (2011–2023) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) overlapped from 2011 to 2023, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Brad Hand appeared in 579 games to Craig Kimbrel's 897. The green cells for Brad Hand are starts (43 to 0) and walks per nine (3.46 to 3.82). By rate, Brad Hand struck out 9.12 and walked 3.46 per nine innings; Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.71 and walked 3.82. Brad Hand worked mostly in relief (43 starts in 579 games, 132 saves), and Craig Kimbrel worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 897 games, 441 saves). Craig Kimbrel's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Brad Hand vs Craig Kimbrel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Brad Hand or Craig Kimbrel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Kimbrel leads Brad Hand in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Brad Hand's 3.75.
- Who won more games?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Brad Hand's 40.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Brad Hand's 782.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Brad Hand's 1.26.