Clayton Kershaw vs Tom Seaver: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Seaver has the better career line of the two, leading 8 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; Tom Seaver played 1967–1986 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 Tom Seaver (1967–1986) — 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; Tom Seaver finished with 311 wins and 3,640 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 Tom Seaver's 2.86.
- Who won more games? Tom Seaver, with 311 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Clayton Kershaw's 3,052.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Tom Seaver's 1.12.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Seaver, with 4,782.2 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Seaver, with 61 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Seaver's 79,192.
Clayton Kershaw
Tom Seaver
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 | Tom Seaver |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | Leads: 311 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 205 |
| Games | 455 | Leads: 656 |
| Games Started | 451 | Leads: 647 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 231 |
| Shutouts | 15 | Leads: 61 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 3,052 | Leads: 3,640 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 1,390 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 3,971 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 380 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,855.1 | Leads: 4,782.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 2.86 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.12 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.62 | 6.85 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 2.62 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw leads Tom Seaver 93,455 to 79,192 — driven by per-season impact — 5,192 PIV per season to 3,600 — rather than by longevity, since Clayton Kershaw played 18 seasons to Tom Seaver's 22. 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)
Tom Seaver — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tom Seaver owns wins, strikeouts, 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 Tom Seaver careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Tom Seaver's ended in 1986, and Clayton Kershaw debuted in 2008. With 455 games against 656 across 18 and 22 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Clayton Kershaw comes out ahead, it is in ERA (2.53 to 2.86), WHIP (1.02 to 1.12), and strikeouts per nine (9.62 to 6.85). The per-nine rows read 9.62 strikeouts and 2.25 walks for Clayton Kershaw, 6.85 and 2.62 for Tom Seaver. Both had the same role: Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games); Tom Seaver was mainly a starter (647 starts in 656 games).
Clayton Kershaw vs Tom Seaver: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Tom Seaver?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Tom Seaver leads Clayton Kershaw in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Tom Seaver's 2.86.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Seaver, with 311 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tom Seaver, with 3,640 to Clayton Kershaw's 3,052.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Tom Seaver's 1.12.