Clayton Kershaw vs Warren Spahn: Career Stats Comparison
Warren Spahn 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; Warren Spahn played 1942–1965 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 Warren Spahn (1942–1965) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw finished with 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Warren Spahn finished with 363 wins and 2,583 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 Warren Spahn's 3.09.
- Who won more games? Warren Spahn, with 363 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Warren Spahn's 2,583.
- Who had the better WHIP? Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.
- Who pitched more innings? Warren Spahn, with 5,243.2 to Clayton Kershaw's 2,855.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Warren Spahn, with 63 to Clayton Kershaw's 15.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Clayton Kershaw, with 93,455 career Pitcher PIV to Warren Spahn's 63,558.
Clayton Kershaw
Warren Spahn
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 1940s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Warren Spahn |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | Leads: 363 |
| Losses not scored | 96 | 245 |
| Games | 455 | Leads: 750 |
| Games Started | 451 | Leads: 665 |
| Complete Games | 25 | Leads: 382 |
| Shutouts | 15 | Leads: 63 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 29 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 3,052 | 2,583 |
| Walks not scored | 713 | 1,434 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,193 | 4,830 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 235 | 434 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,855.1 | Leads: 5,243.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.53 | 3.09 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.02 | 1.19 |
| K/9 | Leads: 9.62 | 4.43 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.25 | 2.46 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Clayton Kershaw outpaces Warren Spahn 93,455 to 63,558 — driven by per-season impact — 5,192 PIV per season to 2,889 — rather than by longevity, since Clayton Kershaw played 18 seasons to Warren Spahn'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)
Warren Spahn — 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 Warren Spahn 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 Warren Spahn careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Warren Spahn's ended in 1965, and Clayton Kershaw debuted in 2008. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Clayton Kershaw appeared in 455 games to Warren Spahn's 750. By rate, Clayton Kershaw struck out 9.62 and walked 2.25 per nine innings; Warren Spahn struck out 4.43 and walked 2.46. Both had the same role: Clayton Kershaw was mainly a starter (451 starts in 455 games); Warren Spahn was mainly a starter (665 starts in 750 games). Complete games (25 to 382) show how differently the two eras used starters. Clayton Kershaw allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.02 WHIP to Warren Spahn's 1.19.
Clayton Kershaw vs Warren Spahn: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Clayton Kershaw or Warren Spahn?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Warren Spahn leads Clayton Kershaw in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 2.53 to Warren Spahn's 3.09.
- Who won more games?
- Warren Spahn, with 363 to Clayton Kershaw's 223.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 3,052 to Warren Spahn's 2,583.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Clayton Kershaw, with 1.02 to Warren Spahn's 1.19.