Clayton Kershaw vs Red Ruffing: Career Stats Comparison
Red Ruffing 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; Red Ruffing played 1924–1947 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 Red Ruffing (1924–1947) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1920s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Red Ruffing finished with 273 wins and 1,987 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 Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games? Red Ruffing, with 273 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Red Ruffing's 1,987.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.
- Who pitched more innings? Red Ruffing, with 4,344.0 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Red Ruffing, with 45 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Red Ruffing's 17,432.
Clayton Kershaw
Red Ruffing
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 1920s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Red Ruffing |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | Leads: 273 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 225 |
| Games | 455 | Leads: 624 |
| Games Started | 451 | Leads: 536 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 335 |
| Shutouts | 15 | Leads: 45 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 16 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,052 | 1,987 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 1,541 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 4,284 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 254 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,855.1 | Leads: 4,344.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 3.80 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.34 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.62 | 4.12 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 3.19 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Red Ruffing 93,455 to 17,432 — driven by per-season impact — 5,192 PIV per season to 758 — rather than by longevity, since Clayton Kershaw played 18 seasons to Red Ruffing's 23. 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)
Red Ruffing — 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 Red Ruffing 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 Red Ruffing careers compare
No season is shared: Red Ruffing played 1924–1947, Clayton Kershaw 2008–2025. With 455 games against 624 across 18 and 23 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The per-nine rows read 9.62 strikeouts and 2.25 walks for Clayton Kershaw, 4.12 and 3.19 for Red Ruffing. Both had the same role: Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games); Red Ruffing was mainly a starter (536 starts in 624 games). The complete-game row, 25 against 335, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. Clayton Kershaw allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.02 WHIP to Red Ruffing's 1.34.
Clayton Kershaw vs Red Ruffing: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Red Ruffing?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Red Ruffing leads Clayton Kershaw in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Red Ruffing's 3.80.
- Who won more games?
- Red Ruffing, with 273 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Red Ruffing's 1,987.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Red Ruffing's 1.34.