Clayton Kershaw vs Sandy Koufax: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 12 statistical categories compared on this page. Clayton Kershaw has played 2008–present 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–present) and Sandy Koufax (1955–1966) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1950s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw compiled 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Sandy Koufax put up 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 to Sandy Koufax's 2,324.
- 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. 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: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Sandy Koufax |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 165 |
| Losses | 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 | 713 | 817 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,193 | 1,754 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 235 | 204 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,855 | 2,324 |
| 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
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Sandy Koufax 93,455 to 63,020 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (5,192 vs 5,252 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
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
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 12 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.