Doug Jones vs Craig Kimbrel: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Kimbrel has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Doug Jones played 1982–2000 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
Doug Jones (1982–2000) and Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2010s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Doug Jones finished with 69 wins and 909 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 Doug Jones's 3.30.
- Who won more games? Doug Jones, with 69 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Doug Jones's 909.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Doug Jones's 1.24.
- Who pitched more innings? Doug Jones, with 1,128.1 to Craig Kimbrel's 867.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Doug Jones, with 31,960 career Pitcher PIV to Craig Kimbrel's 30,862.
Doug Jones
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, and the 1980s and the 2010s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Craig Kimbrel is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Doug Jones | Craig Kimbrel |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 69 | 57 |
| Losses not scored | 79 | 53 |
| Games | 846 | Leads: 897 |
| Games Started | Leads: 4 | 0 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 303 | Leads: 441 |
| Strikeouts | 909 | Leads: 1,322 |
| Walks not scored | 247 | 368 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,155 | 532 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 86 | 79 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,128.1 | 867.2 |
| ERA | 3.30 | Leads: 2.69 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.04 |
| K/9 | 7.25 | Leads: 13.71 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 1.97 | 3.82 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Doug Jones edges Craig Kimbrel 31,960 to 30,862 — driven by per-season impact — 1,776 PIV per season to 1,715 — rather than by longevity, since Doug Jones played 18 seasons to Craig Kimbrel's 18. 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).
Doug Jones
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 strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Doug Jones owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Craig Kimbrel. Note that PIV actually grades Doug Jones ahead, which means Craig Kimbrel's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Doug Jones and Craig Kimbrel careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Doug Jones's ended in 2000, and Craig Kimbrel debuted in 2010. With 846 games against 897 across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Doug Jones comes out ahead, it is in wins (69 to 57), starts (4 to 0), and innings (1,128.1 to 867.2). By rate, Doug Jones struck out 7.25 and walked 1.97 per nine innings; Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.71 and walked 3.82. Doug Jones worked mostly in relief (4 starts in 846 games, 303 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.
Doug Jones vs Craig Kimbrel: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Doug Jones or Craig Kimbrel?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Kimbrel leads Doug Jones in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Doug Jones's 3.30.
- Who won more games?
- Doug Jones, with 69 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Doug Jones's 909.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Doug Jones's 1.24.