Craig Kimbrel vs Troy Percival: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Kimbrel has the better career line of the two, leading 9 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; Troy Percival played 1995–2009 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 Troy Percival (1995–2009) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1990s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Craig Kimbrel has 57 wins and 1,322 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Troy Percival finished with 35 wins and 781 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Troy Percival's 3.17.
- Who won more games? Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Troy Percival's 35.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Troy Percival's 781.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Troy Percival's 1.11.
- Who pitched more innings? Craig Kimbrel, with 867.2 to Troy Percival's 708.2.
- 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 Troy Percival's 10,919.
Craig Kimbrel
Troy Percival
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 1990s 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 | Troy Percival |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 57 | 35 |
| Losses not scored | 53 | 43 |
| Games | Leads: 897 | 703 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | Leads: 441 | 358 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,322 | 781 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 306 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 532 | 479 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 79 | 85 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 867.2 | 708.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.69 | 3.17 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.11 |
| K/9 | Leads: 13.71 | 9.92 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.82 | 3.89 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Kimbrel outpaces Troy Percival 30,862 to 10,919 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,715 PIV per season to 780, across 18 seasons to 14. 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.
Troy Percival
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, ERA, and WHIP, while Troy Percival owns no headline categories. 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 Troy Percival careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Troy Percival's ended in 2009, and Craig Kimbrel debuted in 2010. With 897 games against 703 across 18 and 14 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. The green cells for Troy Percival are starts (1 to 0). By rate, Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.71 and walked 3.82 per nine innings; Troy Percival struck out 9.92 and walked 3.89. Both had the same role: Craig Kimbrel worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 897 games, 441 saves); Troy Percival worked mostly in relief (1 starts in 703 games, 358 saves). In WHIP, Craig Kimbrel's 1.04 beats Troy Percival's 1.11. Craig Kimbrel's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Craig Kimbrel vs Troy Percival: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Craig Kimbrel or Troy Percival?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Craig Kimbrel leads Troy Percival in 9 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Troy Percival's 3.17.
- Who won more games?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 57 to Troy Percival's 35.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Troy Percival's 781.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Troy Percival's 1.11.