Clayton Kershaw vs Jim Palmer: Career Stats Comparison
Jim Palmer has the better career line of the two, leading 7 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; Jim Palmer played 1965–1984 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 Jim Palmer (1965–1984) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1960s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Jim Palmer finished with 268 wins and 2,212 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 Jim Palmer's 2.86.
- Who won more games? Jim Palmer, with 268 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Jim Palmer's 1.18.
- Who pitched more innings? Jim Palmer, with 3,948.0 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Jim Palmer, with 53 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Jim Palmer's 19,502.
Clayton Kershaw
Jim Palmer
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 1960s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Jim Palmer |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | Leads: 268 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 152 |
| Games | 455 | Leads: 558 |
| Games Started | 451 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 211 |
| Shutouts | 15 | Leads: 53 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 4 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,052 | 2,212 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 1,311 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 3,349 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 303 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,855.1 | Leads: 3,948.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 2.86 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.18 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.62 | 5.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Jim Palmer 93,455 to 19,502 — driven by per-season impact — 5,192 PIV per season to 1,026 — rather than by longevity, since Clayton Kershaw played 18 seasons to Jim Palmer's 19. 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)
Jim Palmer — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Jim Palmer owns wins and innings pitched. 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 Jim Palmer careers compare
Jim Palmer (1965–1984) was finished before Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 455 games against 558 across 18 and 19 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. By rate, Clayton Kershaw struck out 9.62 and walked 2.25 per nine innings; Jim Palmer struck out 5.04 and walked 2.99. Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games), and Jim Palmer was mainly a starter (521 starts in 558 games). Complete games (25 to 211) show how differently the two eras used starters. In WHIP, Clayton Kershaw's 1.02 beats Jim Palmer's 1.18.
Clayton Kershaw vs Jim Palmer: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Jim Palmer?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jim Palmer leads Clayton Kershaw in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Jim Palmer's 2.86.
- Who won more games?
- Jim Palmer, with 268 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Jim Palmer's 2,212.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Jim Palmer's 1.18.