Craig Kimbrel vs Bobby Shantz: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Kimbrel and Bobby Shantz are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Craig Kimbrel has played 2010–present as a pitcher; Bobby Shantz played 1949–1964 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 Bobby Shantz (1949–1964) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1940s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Craig Kimbrel has 57 wins and 1,322 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Bobby Shantz finished with 119 wins and 1,072 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 Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games? Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Bobby Shantz, with 1,935.2 to Craig Kimbrel's 867.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Bobby Shantz, with 15 to Craig Kimbrel's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Craig Kimbrel, with 30,862 career Pitcher PIV to Bobby Shantz's 24,845.
Craig Kimbrel
Bobby Shantz
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 1940s 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 | Bobby Shantz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 57 | Leads: 119 |
| Losses not scored | 53 | 99 |
| Games | Leads: 897 | 537 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 171 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 78 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 15 |
| Saves | Leads: 441 | 48 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,322 | 1,072 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 643 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 532 | 1,795 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 79 | 151 |
| Innings Pitched | 867.2 | Leads: 1,935.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.69 | 3.38 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 13.71 | 4.98 |
| BB/9 | 3.82 | Leads: 2.99 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Kimbrel leads Bobby Shantz 30,862 to 24,845 — driven by per-season impact — 1,715 PIV per season to 1,308 — rather than by longevity, since Craig Kimbrel played 18 seasons to Bobby Shantz's 19. 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.
Bobby Shantz — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Craig Kimbrel leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Bobby Shantz owns wins and innings pitched. 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 Bobby Shantz careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Bobby Shantz's ended in 1964, and Craig Kimbrel debuted in 2010. The table compares 897 games of Craig Kimbrel with 537 of Bobby Shantz across 18 and 19 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. By rate, Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.71 and walked 3.82 per nine innings; Bobby Shantz struck out 4.98 and walked 2.99. Craig Kimbrel worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 897 games, 441 saves), while Bobby Shantz split time between starting and relief (171 starts in 537 games). Complete games (0 to 78) show how differently the two eras used starters. Craig Kimbrel allowed fewer baserunners, a 1.04 WHIP to Bobby Shantz's 1.26. Craig Kimbrel's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Craig Kimbrel vs Bobby Shantz: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Bobby Shantz's 3.38.
- Who won more games?
- Bobby Shantz, with 119 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Bobby Shantz's 1,072.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Bobby Shantz's 1.26.