Clayton Kershaw vs Cy Young: Career Stats Comparison
Clayton Kershaw (2008–present) and Cy Young (1890–1911) — breaking in during the 2000s and the 1890s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Clayton Kershaw compiled 223 wins and 3,052 strikeouts; Cy Young put up 511 wins and 2,803 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Clayton Kershaw
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. For pitchers, lower ERA, WHIP, and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads.
| Statistic | Clayton Kershaw | Cy Young |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 223 | 511 |
| Losses | 96 | 315 |
| Games | 455 | 906 |
| Games Started | 451 | 815 |
| Complete Games | 25 | 749 |
| Shutouts | 15 | 76 |
| Saves | 0 | 18 |
| Strikeouts | 3,052 | 2,803 |
| Walks | 713 | 1,217 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,193 | 7,092 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 235 | 138 |
| Innings Pitched | 2,855 | 7,356 |
| ERA | 2.53 | 2.63 |
| WHIP | 1.02 | 1.13 |
| K/9 | 9.62 | 3.43 |
| BB/9 | 2.25 | 1.49 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cy Young outpaces Clayton Kershaw 141,398 to 93,455 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (6,148 vs 5,192 per year). 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)
Cy Young — 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 Cy Young owns wins 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 Cy Young ahead, which means Clayton Kershaw's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.