Craig Kimbrel vs Jonathan Papelbon: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) and Jonathan Papelbon (2005–2016) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Craig Kimbrel compiled 56 wins and 1,282 strikeouts; Jonathan Papelbon put up 41 wins and 808 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Craig Kimbrel
Jonathan Papelbon
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 | Craig Kimbrel | Jonathan Papelbon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 56 | 41 |
| Losses | 48 | 36 |
| Games | 851 | 689 |
| Games Started | 0 | 3 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 440 | 368 |
| Strikeouts | 1,282 | 808 |
| Walks | 346 | 185 |
| Hits Allowed | 492 | 572 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 75 | 57 |
| Innings Pitched | 821 | 725 |
| ERA | 2.58 | 2.44 |
| WHIP | 1.02 | 1.04 |
| K/9 | 14.04 | 10.02 |
| BB/9 | 3.79 | 2.29 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Kimbrel leads Jonathan Papelbon 30,862 to 24,416 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,715 vs 1,878 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).
Craig Kimbrel — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Jonathan Papelbon — top 0 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Craig Kimbrel leads in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, and K/9, while Jonathan Papelbon owns ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Craig Kimbrel. PIV agrees: Craig Kimbrel grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.