Craig Kimbrel vs Kerry Wood: Career Stats Comparison
Craig Kimbrel and Kerry Wood 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; Kerry Wood played 1998–2012 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 Kerry Wood (1998–2012) — 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; Kerry Wood finished with 86 wins and 1,582 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 Kerry Wood's 3.67.
- Who won more games? Kerry Wood, with 86 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Kerry Wood, with 1,582 to Craig Kimbrel's 1,322.
- Who had the better WHIP? Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Kerry Wood's 1.27.
- Who pitched more innings? Kerry Wood, with 1,380.0 to Craig Kimbrel's 867.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Kerry Wood, with 5 to Craig Kimbrel's 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Craig Kimbrel, with 30,862 career Pitcher PIV to Kerry Wood's 20,852.
Craig Kimbrel
Kerry Wood
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 | Kerry Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 57 | Leads: 86 |
| Losses not scored | 53 | 75 |
| Games | Leads: 897 | 446 |
| Games Started | 0 | Leads: 178 |
| Complete Games | 0 | Leads: 11 |
| Shutouts | 0 | Leads: 5 |
| Saves | Leads: 441 | 63 |
| Strikeouts | 1,322 | Leads: 1,582 |
| Walks not scored | 368 | 666 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 532 | 1,083 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 79 | 148 |
| Innings Pitched | 867.2 | Leads: 1,380.0 |
| ERA | Leads: 2.69 | 3.67 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.04 | 1.27 |
| K/9 | Leads: 13.71 | 10.32 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 3.82 | 4.34 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Craig Kimbrel outpaces Kerry Wood 30,862 to 20,852 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,715 PIV per season to 1,390, across 18 seasons to 15. 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.
Kerry Wood — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Craig Kimbrel leads in ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Kerry Wood owns wins, strikeouts, 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 Kerry Wood careers compare
Craig Kimbrel and Kerry Wood were active at the same time between 2010 and 2012. The table compares 897 games of Craig Kimbrel with 446 of Kerry Wood across 18 and 15 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. The per-nine rows read 13.71 strikeouts and 3.82 walks for Craig Kimbrel, 10.32 and 4.34 for Kerry Wood. Their roles differ: Craig Kimbrel worked mostly in relief (0 starts in 897 games, 441 saves); Kerry Wood split time between starting and relief (178 starts in 446 games). In WHIP, Craig Kimbrel's 1.04 beats Kerry Wood's 1.27. Craig Kimbrel has no qualifying season for the peak list, while Kerry Wood's best is 2003. Craig Kimbrel's numbers are live and update with each game, so the comparison is a snapshot.
Craig Kimbrel vs Kerry Wood: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 2.69 to Kerry Wood's 3.67.
- Who won more games?
- Kerry Wood, with 86 to Craig Kimbrel's 57.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Kerry Wood, with 1,582 to Craig Kimbrel's 1,322.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Craig Kimbrel, with 1.04 to Kerry Wood's 1.27.