Liam Hendriks 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). Liam Hendriks played 2011–2025 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
Liam Hendriks (2011–2025) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) — both came up during the 2010s, so the matchup is a direct one. Liam Hendriks finished with 33 wins and 739 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 Liam Hendriks's 3.88.
- Who won more games? Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Liam Hendriks's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Liam Hendriks's 739.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Liam Hendriks's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Craig Kimbrel, with 867.2 to Liam Hendriks's 663.2.
- 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 Liam Hendriks's 14,422.
Liam Hendriks
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 | Liam Hendriks | Craig Kimbrel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 33 | Leads: 57 |
| Losses not scored | 36 | 53 |
| Games | 490 | Leads: 897 |
| Games Started | Leads: 44 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 1 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 116 | Leads: 441 |
| Strikeouts | 739 | Leads: 1,322 |
| Walks not scored | 166 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 630 | 532 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 79 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched | 663.2 | Leads: 867.2 |
| ERA | 3.88 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.20 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 10.02 | Leads: 13.71 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 3.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Kimbrel outpaces Liam Hendriks 30,862 to 14,422 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,715 PIV per season to 961, across 18 seasons to 15. 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).
Liam Hendriks
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 Liam Hendriks 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 Liam Hendriks and Craig Kimbrel careers compare
The careers of Liam Hendriks (2011–2025) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) overlapped from 2011 to 2025, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Liam Hendriks appeared in 490 games to Craig Kimbrel's 897. Where Liam Hendriks comes out ahead, it is in starts (44 to 0), complete games (1 to 0), and walks per nine (2.25 to 3.82). By rate, Liam Hendriks struck out 10.02 and walked 2.25 per nine innings; Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.71 and walked 3.82. Craig Kimbrel's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Liam Hendriks vs Craig Kimbrel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Liam Hendriks or Craig Kimbrel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Kimbrel leads Liam Hendriks in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Liam Hendriks's 3.88.
- Who won more games?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Liam Hendriks's 33.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Liam Hendriks's 739.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Liam Hendriks's 1.20.