Clayton Kershaw vs Chris Sale: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw has the better career line of the two, leading 6 of the 8 scored categories on this page (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Clayton Kershaw played 2008–2025 as a pitcher; Chris Sale has played 2010–present 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 Chris Sale (2010–present) — they debuted in the 2000s and the 2010s respectively and share 16 seasons. Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Chris Sale has 159 wins and 2,779 strikeouts through the 2026 season. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Clayton Kershaw, in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA? Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Chris Sale's 2.95.
- Who won more games? Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Chris Sale's 1.04.
- How many innings did each pitch? Clayton Kershaw 2,855.1, Chris Sale 2,246.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 15 to Chris Sale's 4.
Clayton Kershaw
Chris Sale
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. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Chris Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 159 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 97 |
| Games not scored | 455 | 420 |
| Games Started not scored | 451 | 339 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 25 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 15 | 4 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 12 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,052 | 2,779 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 518 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 1,821 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 2,855.1 | 2,246.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 2.95 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.04 |
| K/9 | 9.62 | Leads: 11.13 |
| BB/9 | 2.25 | Leads: 2.08 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw leads Chris Sale 93,455 to 73,774 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 5,192 PIV per season to 4,611, across 18 seasons to 16. 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)
Chris Sale — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Clayton Kershaw leads 6 of the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card: wins, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, and others. Chris Sale leads 2: strikeouts per nine and walks per nine. 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 Chris Sale careers compare
From 2010 through 2025, Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 455 games for Clayton Kershaw and 420 for Chris Sale across 18 and 16 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Chris Sale's edges on the table are strikeouts per nine (11.13 to 9.62) and walks per nine (2.08 to 2.25). By rate, Clayton Kershaw struck out 9.62 and walked 2.25 per nine innings; Chris Sale struck out 11.13 and walked 2.08. Both had the same role: Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games); Chris Sale was mainly a starter (339 starts in 420 games). Chris Sale's totals run through the 2026 season.
Clayton Kershaw vs Chris Sale: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Chris Sale?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Clayton Kershaw leads Chris Sale in 6 of the 8 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Chris Sale's 2.95.
- Who won more games?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Chris Sale's 159.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Chris Sale's 2,779.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Chris Sale's 1.04.