Clayton Kershaw vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Clayton Kershaw played 2008–2025 as a pitcher; Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966 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
Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) and Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Sandy Koufax finished with 165 wins and 2,396 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Sandy Koufax's 2.76.
- Who won more games? Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Sandy Koufax's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Clayton Kershaw, with 2,855.1 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Sandy Koufax, with 40 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Sandy Koufax's 63,020.
Clayton Kershaw
Sandy Koufax
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 2000s and the 1950s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 165 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 87 |
| Games | Leads: 455 | 397 |
| Games Started | Leads: 451 | 314 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 137 |
| Shutouts | 15 | Leads: 40 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 9 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,052 | 2,396 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,855.1 | 2,324.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 2.76 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.62 | 9.28 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 3.16 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Sandy Koufax 93,455 to 63,020 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Clayton Kershaw played 18 seasons to Sandy Koufax's 12, while Sandy Koufax carries the higher per-season figure (5,252 to 5,192). 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).
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Sandy Koufax — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Sandy Koufax owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Clayton Kershaw. PIV agrees: Clayton Kershaw grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Clayton Kershaw and Sandy Koufax careers compare
No season is shared: Sandy Koufax played 1955–1966, Clayton Kershaw 2008–2025. The two careers are close in length, 455 games for Clayton Kershaw and 397 for Sandy Koufax across 18 and 12 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Sandy Koufax comes out ahead, it is in complete games (137 to 25), shutouts (40 to 15), and saves (9 to 0). By rate, Clayton Kershaw struck out 9.62 and walked 2.25 per nine innings; Sandy Koufax struck out 9.28 and walked 3.16. Both had the same role: Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games); Sandy Koufax was mainly a starter (314 starts in 397 games).
Clayton Kershaw vs Sandy Koufax: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Sandy Koufax?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Clayton Kershaw leads Sandy Koufax in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Sandy Koufax's 2.76.
- Who won more games?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Sandy Koufax's 165.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Sandy Koufax's 2,396.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Sandy Koufax's 1.11.