Clayton Kershaw vs Andy Pettitte: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw 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). Clayton Kershaw played 2008–2025 as a pitcher; Andy Pettitte played 1995–2013 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 Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Andy Pettitte finished with 256 wins and 2,448 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 Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games? Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
- Who pitched more innings? Andy Pettitte, with 3,316.0 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 15 to Andy Pettitte's 4.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Andy Pettitte's 57,293.
Clayton Kershaw
Andy Pettitte
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 1990s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Andy Pettitte |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | Leads: 256 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 153 |
| Games | 455 | Leads: 531 |
| Games Started | 451 | Leads: 521 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 26 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 15 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,052 | 2,448 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 1,031 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 3,448 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 288 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,855.1 | Leads: 3,316.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 3.85 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.35 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.62 | 6.64 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 2.80 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Andy Pettitte 93,455 to 57,293 — driven by per-season impact — 5,192 PIV per season to 3,183 — rather than by longevity, since Clayton Kershaw played 18 seasons to Andy Pettitte'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).
Clayton Kershaw — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Andy Pettitte — 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 Andy Pettitte 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 Andy Pettitte careers compare
The careers of Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) and Andy Pettitte (1995–2013) overlapped from 2008 to 2013, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 455 games for Clayton Kershaw and 531 for Andy Pettitte across 18 and 18 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Clayton Kershaw struck out 9.62 and walked 2.25 per nine innings; Andy Pettitte struck out 6.64 and walked 2.80. Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games), and Andy Pettitte was mainly a starter (521 starts in 531 games). Clayton Kershaw allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.02 WHIP to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.
Clayton Kershaw vs Andy Pettitte: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Andy Pettitte?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Clayton Kershaw leads Andy Pettitte in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Andy Pettitte's 3.85.
- Who won more games?
- Andy Pettitte, with 256 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Andy Pettitte's 2,448.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Andy Pettitte's 1.35.