Craig Kimbrel vs Jonathan Papelbon: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Kimbrel 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). Craig Kimbrel has played 2010–present as a pitcher; Jonathan Papelbon played 2005–2016 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
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 has 57 wins and 1,322 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Jonathan Papelbon finished with 41 wins and 808 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Craig Kimbrel's 2.69.
- Who won more games? Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Jonathan Papelbon's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP? Neither — both are at 1.04.
- Who pitched more innings? Craig Kimbrel, with 867.2 to Jonathan Papelbon's 725.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Craig Kimbrel, with 30,862 career Pitcher PIV to Jonathan Papelbon's 24,416.
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. 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 2010s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
Craig Kimbrel is still active — his totals below are current through October 12, 2026.
| Statistic | Craig Kimbrel | Jonathan Papelbon |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 57 | 41 |
| Losses not scored | 53 | 36 |
| Games | Leads: 897 | 689 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 3 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 441 | 368 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,322 | 808 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 185 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 532 | 572 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 79 | 57 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 867.2 | 725.2 |
| ERA | 2.69 | Leads: 2.44 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.04 |
| K/9 | Leads: 13.71 | 10.02 |
| BB/9 | 3.82 | Leads: 2.29 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Kimbrel leads Jonathan Papelbon 30,862 to 24,416 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Craig Kimbrel played 18 seasons to Jonathan Papelbon's 13, while Jonathan Papelbon carries the higher per-season figure (1,878 to 1,715). 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).
Craig Kimbrel
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Jonathan Papelbon
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
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.
Related Matchups
How the Craig Kimbrel and Jonathan Papelbon careers compare
From 2010 through 2016, Craig Kimbrel and Jonathan Papelbon were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 897 games for Craig Kimbrel and 689 for Jonathan Papelbon across 18 and 13 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. Where Jonathan Papelbon comes out ahead, it is in starts (3 to 0), ERA (2.44 to 2.69), and walks per nine (2.29 to 3.82). By rate, Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.71 and walked 3.82 per nine innings; Jonathan Papelbon struck out 10.02 and walked 2.29. Craig Kimbrel's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Craig Kimbrel vs Jonathan Papelbon: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Craig Kimbrel or Jonathan Papelbon?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Kimbrel leads Jonathan Papelbon in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Jonathan Papelbon, with 2.44 to Craig Kimbrel's 2.69.
- Who won more games?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Jonathan Papelbon's 41.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Jonathan Papelbon's 808.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Neither — both are at 1.04.