Clayton Kershaw vs Paul Skenes: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw 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; Paul Skenes has played 2024–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 Paul Skenes (2024–present) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 2020s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Paul Skenes has 31 wins and 586 strikeouts through October 12, 2026. 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 Paul Skenes's 2.62.
- Who won more games? Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP? Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Clayton Kershaw's 1.02.
- Who pitched more innings? Clayton Kershaw, with 2,855.1 to Paul Skenes's 495.0.
- Who threw more shutouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 15 to Paul Skenes's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Paul Skenes's 14,331.
Clayton Kershaw
Paul Skenes
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 2020s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Paul Skenes is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Paul Skenes |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 223 | 31 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 24 |
| Games | Leads: 455 | 87 |
| Games Started | Leads: 451 | 87 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 25 | 1 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 15 | 0 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,052 | 586 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 123 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 376 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 41 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,855.1 | 495.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 2.62 |
| WHIP | 1.02 | Leads: 1.01 |
| K/9 | 9.62 | Leads: 10.65 |
| BB/9 | 2.25 | Leads: 2.24 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Paul Skenes 93,455 to 14,331 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Clayton Kershaw played 18 seasons to Paul Skenes's 2, while Paul Skenes carries the higher per-season figure (7,166 to 5,192). 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)
Paul Skenes — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Clayton Kershaw leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and innings pitched, while Paul Skenes owns WHIP and K/9. 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 Paul Skenes careers compare
Clayton Kershaw and Paul Skenes were active at the same time between 2024 and 2025. Clayton Kershaw has the far longer record, 455 games against 87 across 18 and 2 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Where Paul Skenes comes out ahead, it is in WHIP (1.01 to 1.02), strikeouts per nine (10.65 to 9.62), and walks per nine (2.24 to 2.25). The per-nine rows read 9.62 strikeouts and 2.25 walks for Clayton Kershaw, 10.65 and 2.24 for Paul Skenes. Both had the same role: Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games); Paul Skenes was mainly a starter (87 starts in 87 games). Paul Skenes's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Clayton Kershaw vs Paul Skenes: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Paul Skenes?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Clayton Kershaw leads Paul Skenes in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Paul Skenes's 2.62.
- Who won more games?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 223 to Paul Skenes's 31.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Paul Skenes's 586.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Paul Skenes, with 1.01 to Clayton Kershaw's 1.02.