Clayton Kershaw vs Curt Schilling: Career Stats Comparison
Curt Schilling 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; Curt Schilling played 1988–2007 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 Curt Schilling (1988–2007) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Curt Schilling finished with 216 wins and 3,116 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 Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games? Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Curt Schilling's 216.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Clayton Kershaw's 3,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Curt Schilling's 1.14.
- Who pitched more innings? Curt Schilling, with 3,261.0 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Curt Schilling, with 20 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Curt Schilling, with 98,246 career Pitcher PIV to Clayton Kershaw's 93,455.
Clayton Kershaw
Curt Schilling
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 1980s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Curt Schilling |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 216 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 146 |
| Games | 455 | Leads: 569 |
| Games Started | Leads: 451 | 436 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 83 |
| Shutouts | 15 | Leads: 20 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 22 |
| Strikeouts | 3,052 | Leads: 3,116 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 711 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 2,998 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 347 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,855.1 | Leads: 3,261.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 3.46 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.14 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.62 | 8.60 |
| BB/9 | 2.25 | Leads: 1.96 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Curt Schilling edges Clayton Kershaw 98,246 to 93,455 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Curt Schilling played 21 seasons to Clayton Kershaw's 18, while Clayton Kershaw carries the higher per-season figure (5,192 to 4,678). 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)
Curt Schilling — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in wins, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Curt Schilling owns strikeouts and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Clayton Kershaw. Note that PIV actually grades Curt Schilling ahead, which means Clayton Kershaw's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Clayton Kershaw and Curt Schilling careers compare
Curt Schilling (1988–2007) was finished before Clayton Kershaw (2008–2025) arrived, so they never shared a league. With 455 games against 569 across 18 and 21 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, 8.60 and 1.96 for Curt Schilling. Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games), and Curt Schilling was mainly a starter (436 starts in 569 games). The complete-game row, 25 against 83, reflects how much longer starters once stayed in games. In WHIP, Clayton Kershaw's 1.02 beats Curt Schilling's 1.14.
Clayton Kershaw vs Curt Schilling: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Curt Schilling?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Curt Schilling leads Clayton Kershaw in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Curt Schilling's 3.46.
- Who won more games?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Curt Schilling's 216.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Curt Schilling, with 3,116 to Clayton Kershaw's 3,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Curt Schilling's 1.14.