Craig Kimbrel vs Lee Smith: Career Stats Comparison
Lee Smith has the better career line of the two, leading 6 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; Lee Smith played 1980–1997 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 Lee Smith (1980–1997) — breaking in during the 2010s and the 1980s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Craig Kimbrel has 57 wins and 1,322 strikeouts through October 12, 2026; Lee Smith finished with 71 wins and 1,251 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 Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games? Lee Smith, with 71 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Lee Smith's 1,251.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Lee Smith's 1.26.
- Who pitched more innings? Lee Smith, with 1,289.1 to Craig Kimbrel's 867.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Lee Smith, with 33,335 career Pitcher PIV to Craig Kimbrel's 30,862.
Craig Kimbrel
Lee Smith
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 1980s 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 | Lee Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 57 | Leads: 71 |
| Losses not scored | 53 | 92 |
| Games | 897 | Leads: 1,022 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 6 |
| Complete Games | 0 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 441 | Leads: 478 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,322 | 1,251 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 486 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 532 | 1,133 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 79 | 89 |
| Innings Pitched | 867.2 | Leads: 1,289.1 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.69 | 3.03 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.26 |
| K/9 | Leads: 13.71 | 8.73 |
| BB/9 | 3.82 | Leads: 3.39 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lee Smith edges Craig Kimbrel 33,335 to 30,862 — a longevity gap rather than a per-season one: Lee Smith played 21 seasons to Craig Kimbrel's 18, while Craig Kimbrel carries the higher per-season figure (1,715 to 1,587). 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.
Lee Smith
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 strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Lee Smith owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Craig Kimbrel. Note that PIV actually grades Lee Smith ahead, which means Craig Kimbrel's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Craig Kimbrel and Lee Smith careers compare
Lee Smith (1980–1997) was finished before Craig Kimbrel (2010–present) arrived, so they never shared a league. The two careers are close in length, 897 games for Craig Kimbrel and 1,022 for Lee Smith across 18 and 21 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. The green cells for Craig Kimbrel are strikeouts (1,322 to 1,251), ERA (2.69 to 3.03), and WHIP (1.04 to 1.26). The per-nine rows read 13.71 strikeouts and 3.82 walks for Craig Kimbrel, 8.73 and 3.39 for Lee Smith. Craig Kimbrel worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 897 games, 441 saves), and Lee Smith worked mostly in relief (6 starts in 1,022 games, 478 saves). Because Craig Kimbrel is still playing, the totals above will keep moving through the season.
Craig Kimbrel vs Lee Smith: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Craig Kimbrel or Lee Smith?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Lee Smith leads Craig Kimbrel in 6 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Lee Smith's 3.03.
- Who won more games?
- Lee Smith, with 71 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1,322 to Lee Smith's 1,251.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Lee Smith's 1.26.